Secret Heir Seduction

by Reese Ryan

  She stood. “I’ll leave you alone with it. You can review it here for now. Once the DNA results have been confirmed, it’s yours to keep. When you’re ready, my driver will take you anywhere you’d like to go. I’ve reserved a furnished rental home in town for you. It’s yours for as long as you need it.”

  Miranda handed him two business cards. “If you need me or Kace, just give us a call. I’ll be in touch.”

  Once Miranda was gone, he opened the envelope. It held a scrapbook overflowing with photos and newspaper articles. On the first page, there was a photo of a newborn he recognized as himself. A duplicate was in his mother’s prized photo album.

  Darius made his way through the scrapbook one aged photo, yellowed newspaper clipping and dog-eared magazine article at a time.

  The man had been following his childhood, his academic career and his business triumphs. Yet, he hadn’t reached out to him once in thirty years.

  What am I supposed to feel for a man like that?

  Darius dropped the scrapbook onto the desk, slipped his Prada shades back on and met Miranda’s driver, Leslie, at the car.

  “Where shall I take you, sir?” She opened the door. “Back to the airport or to your rental home?”

  Darius slid into the back seat. “Neither. Take me someplace I can get a decent hamburger, fries and shake, please.”

  He wasn’t sure what he’d do next. He only knew that he thought better on a full stomach, and he longed for the comfort of carbs while he plotted his next move.

  Two

  Darius stepped inside the quaint little Royal Diner. The place looked like a throwback from the fifties, with its red faux-leather booths and black-and-white checkerboard linoleum tile floor.

  He ordered a mile-high bacon cheeseburger, wedge fries and a thick, handmade strawberry shake. The same meal he’d ordered when his mother and Will would take him out to eat after a big win or a devastating loss.

  It was still his go-to meal for either.

  And today he found himself thinking of his mother and stepfather more than he had in months.

  He was furious that his mother hadn’t told him Buckley Blackwood was his biological father. But part of him missed the great hugs his mom gave whenever he’d had a bad day. And the corny jokes Will would tell to lift his spirits.

  But then, they hadn’t distanced themselves from him. He’d pulled away from them because they’d been lying to him his entire life.

  Buckley Blackwood was just another lying parent who only revealed the truth when it was convenient. Darius already had a bookend set of those.

  He should feel badly that he’d never meet his biological father. But the only thing he felt toward Blackwood was resentment. The man could’ve picked up the telephone or flown his private plane to reach him at any point in the past thirty years.

  He’d chosen not to. Not even when he was dying and knew he had only weeks to live. Instead, he’d apparently spent the end of his life concocting this manipulative scheme.

  But to what end?

  Amanda Battle, the woman who’d introduced herself as the owner of the little diner, brought him his meal and shake. He nibbled on one of the fries, dipping it into the ketchup he’d poured on his plate.

  Darius had spent the past twelve years musing about his mysterious biological father. Right now, he wanted to hate the man. But the scrapbook Miranda had given him didn’t correspond with the heartless man he’d imagined.

  It wasn’t just that the old man had been collecting photos, news clippings and such about Darius his entire life. The photos showed signs of frequent handling. The dog-eared magazine articles appeared to have been read repeatedly. It was the kind of scrapbook he’d expect from a parent who actually gave a damn about his kid.

  He sighed, nibbling on more fries. The two sides of the man who was likely his father were incongruent, at best. But clipping out a few magazine articles didn’t excuse Blackwood for being a shitty, absent father.

  For that, he would never forgive him.

  Darius took another of the wedge fries, swiped it in the milkshake and popped it in his mouth.

  It was something people over the age of twelve usually found repulsive. But today, he deserved to indulge himself.

  “A bacon cheeseburger, fries and a strawberry shake. I was going to ask if it was a really good day or a really bad one, but then you dipped your fry into your shake, so I guess that answers that.”

  Darius froze, then turned toward the familiar voice. His eyes widened.

  “Audra Lee Covington?”

  No, it isn’t possible.

  What would his grad school girlfriend be doing in Royal, Texas?

  “So you do remember me.” She folded her arms. “I wasn’t sure you would. After all, you never returned my calls.”

  Remember? He couldn’t forget her if he tried. She’d been his biggest regret. The woman who still haunted his dreams.

  He stared at her, blinking. Still not sure he could believe his eyes.

  She was stunning, as always. Her dark wavy hair was tucked behind her ears and fell to her shoulders. Gold-and-diamond starburst ear climbers decorated the outer curve of each ear. She wore a cream-colored, chunky-knit sweater and distressed skinny jeans that hugged every curve. And there was a small, star-shaped diamond stud in one nostril.

  “Audra.” He stood, wiping his hands on a napkin. He inhaled her sweet scent as they shared an awkward hug. “What on earth are you doing here?”

  “Good to see you, too,” she said sarcastically as she stepped away, folding her arms again. Her lips pressed into a harsh line as she narrowed her gaze at him.

  If looks could kill, he’d be laid out on the black-and-white tile floor with a chalk line around him.

  “It’s good to see you, Audra, of course. I should’ve said I’m stunned to see you here in Royal, Texas.” He gestured toward the opposite side of the booth. “You look...amazing.” It was an egregious understatement. She was drop-dead gorgeous. “Join me?”

  Audra’s sensual lips, shiny with lip gloss, quirked in a semi-frown as she studied him. Finally, she nodded and slid across from him in the booth.

  “The new look—” she indicated his bald head, a look he’d transitioned to nearly three years ago “—I like it. It suits you.”

  “Thanks.” He cleared his throat. “What did you order?”

  “They make an incredible Cobb salad. It probably has as many calories as your burger and fries, but at least I feel like I’m making an effort.”

  He’d always loved her refreshing honesty. Too bad he hadn’t afforded her the same. Their story still would’ve ended. But if he’d been honest with her then, at least he’d have no regrets where Audra was concerned.

  “LA Fashion Week is just a few weeks away. I’d expect the great Audra Lee Covington to be in the design studio right now.”

  Audra was a diamond heiress. She’d broken rank with her very traditional family and formed her own company that catered to a younger, trendier clientele. Her name got frequent mentions in fashion magazines when A-list actors, musicians and social influencers bragged that they were iced in Audra Lee Covington diamond earrings, necklaces, bracelets and tiaras.

  “Royal isn’t my usual hangout. That’s for sure.” A deep smile lit Audra’s rich espresso-brown eyes, the same color as her shoulder-length hair. “I got an early start on the season this year. So when I received a lucrative request from a wealthy bride-to-be here in Royal, I couldn’t resist. I’m creating custom wedding jewelry for the couple and gifts for their bridal party. So I’m staying in town for a bit. Getting to know the area and the bride, who will be returning from New York tomorrow with her fiancé. I’d hardly expect to run into you here, either.” She clasped her hands on the table. “I hear Thr3d will be doing a runway show this year.”

  “We are. My team is back in LA working tir
elessly to prepare for it.”

  She produced a gum-filled lollipop from her pocket, opened the wrapper and popped it in her mouth.

  Was that a fucking tongue ring?

  Darius was pretty sure his jaw hit the ground and another part of his body reached for the sky.

  Good thing he’d returned to his seat.

  Audra propped her elbows on the table and tilted her head as she studied him. “What brings you to Royal?”

  “A business opportunity.” It wasn’t a lie. The opportunity to collaborate with Miranda had brought him to town.

  She sucked on that damn lollipop, which had already stained her tongue red, and awaited further explanation.

  “It’s too early to share details.” He picked up his burger. “But I’m hoping to create a clothing line for a major fitness brand.”

  “Ah.” When she said it, he couldn’t help staring at her candy-red, pierced tongue. “Miranda Dupree. Scoring the clothing line for her Goddess brand would be a major coup.”

  “How’d you—”

  “It’s a small world, I guess.” She shrugged. “Miranda is my client’s ex-stepmother. My client is Sophie Blackwood. Do you know her?”

  His half sister. Damn. It was a small world.

  “Never met her.” He shrugged. “But I’ve heard the name.”

  Less than an hour ago, in fact.

  Audra’s mouth made a popping sound when she yanked the lollipop from between her lips. She stared at him, her brown eyes narrowed. Judging him. As if she didn’t believe him.

  Darius bit a mouthful of the bacon cheeseburger.

  He hadn’t seen Audra in five years. They weren’t together, and she had no right to know his personal business.

  So why did he feel as guilty now for telling her a half-truth as he had when they were together?

  Audra returned the sucker to her mouth and rose from the table. She didn’t believe him, but she obviously didn’t deem pursuing the truth worth her time.

  Knowing she found him unworthy made his chest ache. Her wordless condemnation was exactly what he deserved.

  “Looks like they’re done with my order.” Audra nodded toward where Amanda was packing a to-go bag. “Nice seeing you again, Darius. Good luck with Fashion Week.”

  Darius groaned quietly as he swiped another French fry into his milkshake and took a bite.

  Audra made a hasty escape, and he couldn’t blame her.

  He was a liar. Apparently, it was hereditary.

  Three

  Audra slid into the driver’s seat of the Bentley Continental GT convertible her parents had gifted her four years ago, after her business cleared a million dollars in profits in its first year.

  She glanced back at the diner. Darius sat motionless in the booth where she’d left him.

  Of all the people in the world that she could run into, she had to run into Darius Freaking Taylor-Pratt. The man who’d broken her heart five years ago.

  She’d been madly in love with him, and she’d believed he loved her, too. Right up to the moment he’d said things had gotten too serious between them, and he needed space.

  There had been no discussion. No evidence he’d fallen for someone else. And no real explanation.

  She’d been devastated.

  They’d met at a party during grad school at Harvard. The attraction between them had almost been instant. She’d told her friend that she was pretty sure she’d met the man she was going to marry.

  Sure, she’d been a little buzzed when she said it. But every day they were together made her believe those words to be true.

  Darius suddenly ending things had come of out nowhere. It had left her reeling, wondering what she’d done wrong.

  But that was the past. It’d taken some time, but she’d gotten over it and moved on.

  Or at least she’d always believed she had. But seeing Darius today made her feel as if things between them weren’t finished at all.

  He was more handsome than ever in his navy Tom Ford suit, a white shirt and a navy print tie. His story about being in Royal on business was undoubtedly true. Never a fan of suits, Darius would require a damn good reason to wear one.

  And the bald head he was rocking...on him it was sexy as sin. Her fingers had itched with the desire to run her palm over the smooth, brown skin on his clean-shaven head. She’d balled her hands into fists, her fingernails leaving marks on her palms.

  Darius’s dark brown eyes registered a mix of emotions she couldn’t quite read.

  Sadness. Anger? Maybe even regret.

  The only thing she knew for sure was that she’d desperately wanted to lean in and kiss him. If only to remind him of what he’d walked away from five years ago.

  Her cell phone rang.

  Sophie Blackwood.

  Audra smiled, thankful for the distraction. She hit the call button and pulled out of her parking space, heading back toward the house she was renting while she stayed in Royal.

  “Hello, Sophie. Back in town yet?”

  “We arrived a couple of hours ago. Nigel, my fiancé, needed to stay a couple more days to take care of a staffing issue with the show.”

  Audra couldn’t help smiling. Sophie was doing that thing that many newly engaged women did where they referred to their intended as their fiancé, as frequently as possible. It was adorable. And everything about Sophie’s bubbly excitement and the warmth with which she talked about him spoke to just how in love they were.

  For Sophie’s sake, Audra truly hoped that their love would last.

  “No worries. I’ve been keeping myself occupied. I sketched out a few designs. I’ll show them to you when we get together.”

  “Are you busy now? We’re going to grab a bite with friends over at the Glass House in an hour or so. You should join us.”

  “Thanks, but I just picked up a salad.” Hopefully, Sophie didn’t think her rude for turning down her offer.

  “Is everything all right?” Sophie’s voice was laced with concern.

  “Yes. I’m just a bit stunned. I ran into my grad school ex just now.”

  “A local?” Sophie asked.

  “No, in fact, I got the impression this is his first time here, too. So it was weird to run into him.” Audra bit into the sucker she’d teased Darius with.

  She was pretty sure he’d nearly fainted when he caught a glimpse of her pierced tongue.

  Good.

  She might be over Darius, but she wasn’t above reminding him that he should be sorry he’d walked out on her.

  “Oh? Who is he?” Sophie’s voice sounded less jovial.

  “Darius Taylor-Pratt. He runs the athletic performance clothing company Thr3d.”

  “That must’ve been quite a surprise.” Sophie laughed nervously, then quickly changed the subject. “So the venue where I’d like to have my wedding got damaged during the recent wildfires. The damaged portions have been rebuilt, but there’s still a lot of work to do. If you could spare the time this Saturday, we could definitely use the help. Besides, it would be a chance for you to get to know some of the folks you’re creating custom jewelry pieces for.”

  “Sure.” Audra shrugged. “And maybe we can meet tomorrow afternoon to discuss your custom designs?”

  “Come to my place tomorrow afternoon at one. We’ll have a late lunch and go over everything.” Full-blown giddiness had returned to Sophie’s voice. “See you then!”

  God, I remember what it felt like to be that in love.

  Seeing Darius and talking to Sophie made her even more certain she’d done the right thing when she’d broken it off with her most recent ex a few months ago.

  Cassius “Cash” Johannsson was exactly the man her mother and United States senator father wanted her to marry. A perfectly nice gentleman from the right family with ambitions to one day sit in the Oval O
ffice. But she wanted more than just “perfectly nice.”

  She wanted a man who made her laugh. Who was her friend as well as her lover. A man who understood the manic craziness that often accompanied a creative mind. A man who made her body burn for his.

  Cash had never engendered that kind of spark in her. Nor had she ever gushed over Cash the way Sophie did over Nigel. The way she once had over Darius.

  In the end, she’d broken it off with Cash because she was just settling. He deserved someone who would feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be on his arm.

  Audra entered the beautiful gated community where her rental house was located. She was traveling with sample jewelry pieces and loose diamonds, the value of which easily topped two million dollars. So she required the additional security afforded by this gated community and the safety measures of the home she was renting from the Blackwoods’ family friend—Dixie Musgraves.

  She grabbed her meal, courtesy of the Royal Diner, and headed inside, determined to banish all thoughts of Darius.

  Four

  It already felt like the longest day of Darius’s life, and he still had a few hours of work ahead of him. He settled behind the glass-and-steel desk in the office of his rental home and prepared for yet another conference call. This one with his production manager and a few key members of the production staff.

  The preparations for LA Fashion Week had to go off without a hitch. This would be Thr3d’s first runway show at the event. And he was determined it wouldn’t be the last.

  It was an honor to get a runway show for his athletic gear. One he wouldn’t squander. And if everything went as expected, buyers in untapped markets would order the Thr3d fall line for their stores. So despite the issues with his paternity and his biological father’s estate, he wouldn’t allow himself to be distracted.

  Fifteen minutes into the conversation with his team, he heard water splash.

  Darius walked over to the bank of windows along the back wall of the office and stared down. There was a woman swimming in his pool.

  “Boss? Boss?” His production manager Leeson Brown was saying.