“Sit down, honey.”

  I shook my head, realizing I wasn’t going to get anywhere with her alone. After easing onto the chair, she pushed one of the glasses across the table. I noticed her hand was shaking.

  “Who am I, Mother?”

  “What do you mean? You’re our daughter. You’re a beautiful girl. You’re famous.”

  I heard my father’s footsteps and took a chance. “Is my name Sage?”

  My father stopped in the doorway, remaining silent. I lifted my head, almost taken aback by his haggard appearance. I hadn’t seen them in almost a full year. In that time, he’d aged significantly, although he would still be considered a virile man by anyone’s standards. He’d kept himself in shape, working out with a vengeance. If it was true and he was an assassin, then of course he’d need to be big and strong.

  I was ready to burst into laughter, chastising myself for being ridiculous, except the signs had been there. The strange phone calls. The late-night flights out of the blue. The less than up front answers to questions when I’d bothered to ask. The security. The threats, although I’d never been privy to one. The money I knew they had in several bank accounts.

  I’d chosen to ignore every sign, pretending my father was a regular guy.

  In his hand was an oversized envelope. As he walked closer, my mother poured him a glass of lemonade. His usually hard expression softened as he sat down.

  “Yes.”

  The simple word was like a sledgehammer. “Go on.”

  “Your name is Sage Winters. You are our biological daughter. Our only child.”

  His voice was so quiet, I had to strain to hear him. “Okay. The accident. Was it the truth?”

  “Yes,” my mother said quickly. “We didn’t lie to you. You were severely injured, but not in a swimming accident.”

  “You didn’t lie to me? You mean other than about my name, my heritage, what happened, and why I have memory loss?” I heard the anger in my voice. Was it misguided? At this point, there was no way of knowing.

  “Do not be angry with your mother! I forbid her to tell you. We were trying to protect you.” He was angrier than I’d seen him in years, but I also sensed fear. The man had been backed into a corner.

  “By lying to me? Someone is determined I learn the truth one way or the other. I’d rather hear it from both of you. Please. Do you know what it’s like to go through life realizing a huge part of you is missing? Or to have nightmares every time I close my eyes?”

  “We didn’t want that for you. We made certain the best doctors in the world looked at you.” My father sighed. “We need to tell her the truth, Connie.”

  The two of them looked at each other lovingly. I knew how much they adored each other. It had been easy to see through the years.

  “You weren’t supposed to be born,” my mother said quietly. “The doctor told us that we couldn’t have children. In a way, it was a relief given what your father did. I loved him and still do with all my heart. He tried to get me to fall in love with another boy, but we were drawn to each other from the beginning.”

  Just like I felt around the three men. It was as if I’d always belonged to them.

  “When I found out I was pregnant, I was certain your father was going to be furious, but I’d never seen him so happy.” She laughed as if remembering the exact moment when she’d told him.

  “Because of your job,” I said, hating the bitter sound in my voice.

  “Yes. Having anyone in my life is dangerous, Sage. I warned your mother that our lives would never be easy or safe. However, we wanted to have you more than anything. You were our miracle, our special little girl.”

  “Then why no pictures? Was there really a fire as you told me, or was that just another lie?”

  A single tear slipped past my mother’s face. “No. We put them away. We were afraid you’d remember what happened the night of the accident.”

  “Do you even know?”

  They shared another silent communication. “Only part of what happened that night. We were left to pick up the pieces.”

  Part of what happened. “So, you’re an assassin, Dad.”

  He seemed shocked that I’d figured it out. “I’ve had a job to do that I’m very good at. However, I never wanted to put either you or your mother in harm’s way.”

  “That didn’t answer the question.”

  “How did you find out?” my mother asked.

  “As I said, someone is doing their best to ensure that I learn the truth. They’ve sent me threatening text messages. Warnings. About you. About three men I care about. Everything is ready to explode in the open. Whatever happened the night I was injured is the reason.”

  They exchanged another glance, and I sensed they both realized they’d been defeated.

  “That’s why we didn’t want you in Chicago,” my mom said under her breath. She looked petrified.

  I shook my head. “I’m fine. Very protected. However, I’m curious. Did you hire Jillian to follow me around?”

  The look they shared was one of genuine surprise. “Who is Jillian?” Dad asked.

  “My assistant.” So what Brett told me was true. Jillian had established the contact with the resort and arranged for the residency. No wonder she’d disappeared. She’d lied to me. Who was she working for? All the personal things I’d told her over the years. Had they gone directly to some unseen enemy?

  “You need to leave Chicago and never return,” Dad added.

  “While I know you want the best for me, that’s not going to happen. I need the truth. I can’t sleep at night because of the nightmares. I can’t breathe any longer because I feel like I’m living a lie. What happened to me ten years ago?” They shared another look, and I did what I could to be patient.

  “You were hit by a speeding car. You almost died. You were in a coma for over two weeks. The doctors were worried you’d have brain damage. After brain activity was detected, you had several surgeries, including reconstructive surgery on your face. They were still uncertain how much damage had been done. You were a fighter, refusing to die. You had to relearn how to talk, walk, and almost everything else except for singing. Music pulled you through.”

  No wonder the three men hadn’t recognized me.

  I took a deep breath and studied my father. It was obvious the secret had worn him down over the years. “So you faked my death.”

  Mother dropped her head into her hands. I could tell how upset she was.

  My father nodded and took her hand into his, pulling her fingers to his lips. The gentle action was endearing, but I wasn’t in the mood for niceties.

  “Was it a hit and run on purpose, or truly an accident?”

  “An accident. It was dark and there was a significant storm. The police did a thorough investigation. The boy who hit you was sick about it. From what he told police, you ran out in front of him. Unfortunately, he was going too fast. The impact should have killed you.”

  It had.

  “Was the boy’s name Cain Cross, Hunter Augustine, or Cristiano Moreno?”

  The names struck a nerve with both of them even though they knew who owned the resort.

  “No, but he was another member of a group called the Elite at the university that you attended,” Daddy continued.

  “Crandall University where I studied music. The Elite are very special men who go on to Fortune 100 careers. That’s why I was there. Because of your job. It was secure and meant for people with fathers like mine.”

  His eyes opened wide. “Yes. I could afford to send you to a facility I hoped would keep you safe.”

  “Except you didn’t anticipate that one of your jobs would come back to haunt you. Did you?”

  He blinked several times.

  “You see, Daddy, my memory is starting to come back because I’ve been spending time with the three men I mentioned. For some crazy reason, we were all brought together again. Call it fate. Call it karma. I’m not certain. However, I’m performing in Cain’s resort, but you already knew that. Didn’t you, Mother? You did try and keep me from accepting the contract. If only you’d been up front with me then. Suddenly, Hunter and Cain showed up, supposedly for business, but there’s foul play going on.”

  My mom finally had the nerve to look me in the eye. There was so much pain in her gaze that I couldn’t be angry. They’d done their best to protect me. “I’m sorry, baby girl. I wanted to tell you.”

  “As I said, I wouldn’t allow her to. There was too much danger. You need to leave them. They’re dangerous.”

  “You didn’t want to tell me because you knew Cain wanted revenge for the murder of his brother. Were you planning on killing him too? Is that why you were traveling again?” I was putting two and two together without the need for warped memories and ugly visions.

  I could tell by the expression on his face that he’d thought about it. I was sick inside.

  “I was there. In Chicago,” he said. “I didn’t want them touching you. You don’t know the men you seem enamored with.”

  “Oh yes, I do. You didn’t raise me to be a stupid woman, Dad. I know what line of work they’re in. Do you honestly think what you’ve done for a living is any different?”

  The sudden tension was disheartening. “I care about you, baby girl. It’s different when you have a child.”

  “Maybe I’ll agree with you one day. They’re good man underneath the dangerous façade, just like you are daddy. I love them. I think I did all those years ago. I may never get my entire memory back, and that’s fine. I know enough to be able to let go of the past. That’s what I intend on doing.”

  “At some point, they will hurt you. That’s their nature.” my mother said, although I could tell in her eyes she was resigned to my choice.

  “No, Mama. It’s not. They want to protect me. They have protected me. They allow me to feel alive again. I love them. Maybe it’s crazy, but I know what I want.” I could see their faces. They’d come to my defense on a dark night in another lifetime. I touched my lips, remembering the way each one of them had kissed me. “Some other boy hurt me that night. Something terrible happened that forced me to run into the road. I know it. Did anyone mention that I was attacked?”

  While I couldn’t tell if anyone had by the way they were looking at each other, my instinct told me I was right. What I wasn’t certain of was whether it was one of the three men I’d thought about spending the rest of my life with.

  “No, nothing like that. Sage, we did the best we could do at the time. I still have several enemies, not just Cain Cross. We’ve had to be very careful.”

  “You thought it was a hit based on your work.”

  He nodded. “What else could we think?”

  “Because of killing Cain’s brother.” There was no doubt I’d been invited to the party because the three men knew who my father was. I glanced at his hand. “How did you get that scar?”

  I’d asked him about it one time and he’d told me he’d been burned by scalding water. I’d bought it. Of course I was ten or eleven at the time.

  He lifted and rubbed his hand. “During one of my assignments.”

  “That’s how Cain made the connection.”

  My dad seemed even more exhausted, ready for retirement. “That’s what I believe.”

  “Promise me that you won’t touch the men I’ve fallen in love with.”

  When neither one said anything, my patience was shot.

  “Promise me!”

  “As I said. I’m retiring once and for all. I understand Cain’s pain. I was a different man back then. When you see your child suffering, you begin to realize that playing God will eventually catch up with you. They won’t be touched unless they hurt you.”

  What was he trying to tell me?

  I watched as my father’s grip on the envelope tightened before he slid it across the table. “You’ll find almost everything you need to regain the identity you were born with inside this envelope. At this point, your mother and I are going to disappear. I knew this day would come for both of us, Sage. It’s very hard, but necessary. You’ll also find information on two bank accounts that have been established in your name. Plus, there’s the name of an attorney you can trust. He’ll know where we are, but no one else. It’s too dangerous.”

  “You’re leaving now?” I was sick to my stomach. I’d thought I had more time.

  “For now. There’s too much danger, and at this point, the only way you’re going to have a normal life is if we disappear. It’s best that you not know where we end up. I’d ask you to come with us, but that’s not fair to you.”

  “You won’t tell me because your enemies will use me to get to you.”

  “Yes,” he said. “It’s past time for the assassin to retire permanently. If what you’re saying is true, then there’s a focus on hunting me down.”

  “Because you killed Cain Cross’s brother.”

  He took a deep breath. “It was business. I was hired to do a job.”

  “Who hired you?”

  “As I said. Almost every answer you’re seeking is inside the envelope. However, what we didn’t learn was why you were at a party at the Elite’s estate that night.”

  “Who is Kelly?”

  “You are remembering.” My mother allowed herself to smile. “She was your dormmate. She worried about you quite a bit. She even called my old number a few years ago. Of course, I just listened to her message.”

  “What did she say?”

  “That she wished she could talk to you, and that she was sorry.”

  Sorry. The girl lured me to the party. I was certain of it. I took the envelope and wasn’t ready to rip into it. I needed time to say goodbye to my parents. I needed time to adjust to whatever was inside, to the fact that my name wasn’t what I’d thought it was.

  And I needed a lot of time to reflect on how I felt about the three men. Did they know who I was? No. I didn’t think so, but at this point, nothing made any sense. I felt like I was on a merry-go-round that I might never be able to stop.

  But running wasn’t an option. I’d lost too much time already.

  Besides, I’d fallen hopelessly, deliriously in love with them.

  CHAPTER 24

  Sage

  When do you know you’re in love?

  I remembered I’d asked my mother that one day when I thought the first crush I’d had was going to be ‘the one’. Her answer had come easily, the love in her eyes for my father shining like a beacon of light.

  She’d said when you’d rather die than spend a single day on Earth without the person.

  I’d realized quickly after that the kid I’d been certain would be my happily ever after was more like a frog who’d never turn into a prince.

  As I mulled over the memory, the realization that I couldn’t live without the three men who’d blasted into my life not once but twice was life-altering.

  I loved them.

  All three. They were flawed and dangerous, romantic and powerful.

  But was love enough?

  Evidently, I believed so since I was flying back to Chicago. If they wanted to talk, we were going to have a long conversation. There would be no additional secrets or lies. Not one. They’d tell me everything they knew about who I once was and what they had planned that night so long ago.

  Then whoever was sending the threats wouldn’t have the needed ammunition any longer. Who was warning me? Why?

  Sage.

  I repeated my name several times, even twice out loud while in the bathroom at the airport in San Diego. I liked it. It had character, much like the name Rose. However, I wasn’t certain I would use it at this point. If I did, my stage name would stay the same. I was reminded that after everything I’d learned, the heartache and fear, the nightmares that had plagued me, I’d managed to carve out a life that I treasured more than I realized.

  If what my mother had said was true, my love of music had kept me from remaining in the darkness forever. Even seeing the People Magazine article online while waiting to board had been another reminder and one that I’d needed. I couldn’t abandon who I thought I was so I could bring the ghost of my former self into the light. I remembered my childhood and after the accident, and that was all I really needed.

  Even if there was still a nagging question about what had happened that night. I stared out the window, keeping my phone in my hand. I’d typed out a message to all three men, still unable to hit send. I just wasn’t certain how to move forward without looking back.

  Or over my shoulder.

  Sighing, I pulled the envelope from my purse, fingering the flap. The information inside had obviously been prepared long before my surprise visit. There were letters from my parents, bank statements for the money they’d maintained for me as well as other financial information. There were even a few pictures that had been taken weeks prior to the accident. Some that I’d sent from school. I didn’t recognize the face, although my eyes were the same.

  Nothing they’d provided was troubling.

  Except for the letter from my father to Cain.

  It was the one thing that would possibly destroy the last tether we had. It wasn’t mine to keep, but as the provider of the horrific statement, including with proof, it was my responsibility to ensure that it got to the person the letter was addressed to.

  Only that scared me more than learning the last details about the tragic night of so long ago.

  I closed my eyes, feeling the pull of the engines as the pilot began to slow for descent. My stomach was in knots, my mind still in a haze. I didn’t know if I’d ever see my parents again. It was crazy to think he’d been an assassin.

  As the announcement was made for the approach to the airport, I had one last chance to send the text. I grabbed my phone, sliding my finger across the screen, a single tear slipping down my cheek. What if they believed I had something to do with the horrible game being played?

  In admitting to myself that I loved them, it had opened up my heart completely, allowing me to feel the sting of the vacuum we’d pulled ourselves into. We’d been drawn to each other, forced to return to the very edge of darkness that had brought us together in the first place. Maybe a small part of me had sensed I’d known them before.