Secrets (Lords of the City)

by Alice Ward

  Oliver cleared his throat. “Earth to Chelsea… do you want something to drink?” he asked as I snapped my eyes back to his. I blushed and turned to the waitress.

  “I’ll have a dirty martini, two olives please.”

  Joanna nodded. “Feel free to mingle. I’ll find you with the drinks.”

  “Oh look, Ollie, there’s Martin and Davis,” Stacey said, nodding towards the beachside doors.

  Hearing her use my nickname for my brother grated on my nerves a little, but I followed her gaze anyway. My eyes fell on two men standing near a large fire pit. I couldn’t see their faces, but their bodies were broad and attractive.

  Stacey took me by the arm and pulled me across the room. “I’m so glad they’re both here,” she whispered to me. We moved towards the only solid wall in the house and I realized that we weren’t going to the beach, but the bathroom. Stacey opened the door and for half a second, I wondered if we’d wandered into a five star restaurant. A long mirror ran the length of the triple sink and six toilet stalls sat behind it. I was almost surprised that there wasn’t an attendant standing by with perfume and lotion.

  “I just need to pee real quick and then I’ll introduce you to the guys,” Stacey explained as she stepped into one of the stalls. I ducked down and peered under the doors to ensure that we were alone before I spoke.

  “I can’t believe this place. Who has a bathroom like this at their house?” I gasped. “Is there a men’s room too?”

  “Yes,” Stacey called out as she peed. “Drake throws a lot of parties. And trust me, this was money well spent. You’ll appreciate it when you’re four drinks into the night and you don’t have to stand in line.”

  “I take it by your designated driver comment that you aren’t telling everyone about the baby yet?” I asked.

  “Not just yet,” she confirmed. “Oliver says I’m being silly, but I don’t want to jinx it.”

  “I’m sure everything will be just fine.”

  “I hope so. My mother had a miscarriage before me and another after, so I guess I’m a little spooked.”

  “That’s completely understandable.”

  It also confirmed my theory that the pregnancy was behind her sudden interest in having a sister.

  This night is as important to her as it is to Oliver. The least I can do is try to have a good time.

  I looked at my reflection while I waited for her to finish. Between my straight hair, professionally applied makeup, and designer dress, I hardly recognized myself.

  “So tell me about Davis and Martin,” I said as I brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. The toilet flushed and Stacey stepped out of the stall.

  “Martin owns a fishing company and Davis works with Oliver,” she said, washing her hands. “They both come from family money and they both seem to be ready to settle down. Davis in particular has really calmed down over the last year. Come on, I’ll introduce you and you can get to know them for yourself.”

  We opened the bathroom door and found Joanna waiting outside with our drinks.

  “Could you keep these coming?” I asked as I took my martini.

  “You got it, Miss Tyler.”

  “Sounds like you’re ready to party,” Stacey smiled and took my arm again as we walked towards the beach doors. Oliver had already joined his friends at the fire pit.

  “There you are, sis. I was just talking about you,” he said as we approached. “I’d like you to meet Davis and Martin. Guys, this is my little sister, Chelsea.”

  Both men nodded hello and I gave them a smile. “It’s nice to meet you,” I offered.

  Davis had sparkling blue eyes, while Martin’s were dark and much more serious. Like my brother, they were both wearing suits that probably cost more than my first car. Neither was bad looking, but I didn’t feel drawn to either of them.

  “It’s nice to meet you too,” Davis replied. He extended his hand and I accepted it, expecting a firm shake. Instead, he pulled it to his lips, just as Oliver had done to Stacey in the car.

  Not to be outdone, Martin took my hand almost the second Davis dropped it. “Chelsea, it’s so nice to meet you. Tell me, which one of you was adopted? Because there’s no way you and this ugly S.O.B. came from the same parents,” he teased Oliver and then kissed my knuckles.

  “Ha ha,” Oliver said with a snort.

  Once I had my hand back, I sipped my martini while the men exchanged barbs. It seemed that instead of actually talking to me, Davis and Martin’s strategy was to talk around me and see how I reacted. They had their shoulders back and their chests puffed out. In five minutes time, they’d each ‘casually’ mentioned their yearly income. Stacey seemed to be holding on to their every word. She laughed and gasped in all of the right places and nudged me to do the same. Just as I was losing hope about the night, Drake appeared at the fire with two martinis in hand.

  “Drake, this is such a wonderful party,” Oliver said with a grin. “Thank you so much for having us.”

  “It’s my pleasure,” Drake told him before turning to me. “I spotted Joanna on her way over here. She said this was for you.”

  I took the martini with olives from his hand while he sipped the one with a lemon twist. Before I could thank him, Drake turned back to Oliver.

  “My European contacts are all gathered inside. They can’t wait to hear about your plans for the Florence project. That’s them around the long table. I trust you can handle your own introduction?”

  “No problem,” Oliver agreed with a grin. “I appreciate the chance to speak with them. Baby, will you be okay without me for a little while?” he asked Stacey.

  “You know we’ll take care of her,” Davis assured him.

  “I’ll be great, babe. Good luck,” Stacey added as Oliver turned back to the house.

  “I don’t think your husband needs much luck,” Drake told her. “I’ve never met anyone who negotiates like him.”

  “That’s my Oliver,” Stacey said, beaming with pride. “If you give him enough time, he can make anyone see his way. The man was born to talk.”

  “Speaking of talking, would you mind if I steal Chelsea away for awhile? If that’s okay with you, of course,” he added, giving me his charming smile.

  “That would be wonderful,” Stacey gushed. She squeezed my arm and I knew she was dying to say ‘I told you so’. Davis and Martin’s shoulders fell in unison as I took Drake’s arm. I wasn’t thrilled to be leaving with him, but it was better than staying with my current company.

  “Davis, Martin, it was so nice to meet you,” I said again as I let Drake lead me away.

  “We’ll talk to you later,” Davis called as we walked across the deck.

  Drake put an arm around my shoulders and leaned down into my ear. “So tell me. How hard was Stacey pushing you at those two morons?”

  I was strangely insulted for Davis and Martin. “We can’t all be brilliant architects,” I replied coldly, shrugging off his arm.

  He stared down at me, his eyes full of amusement. “I apologize. From where I was standing, it looked like you needed to be rescued. If I was mistaken, I’d be happy to walk you back to your new friends.”

  I turned back to the fire pit. I couldn’t hear Martin or Davis, but they appeared to be doing their best Dumb and Dumber impersonation. I turned back to Drake. “I’ll take the rescue, thanks.”

  “That’s what I thought,” he grinned. “Come with me. I’ll show you my favorite spot in the house.”

  I took his arm and we walked back inside. I hesitated when I realized Drake was walking towards the staircase.

  “I didn’t realize we were leaving the party,” I stammered.

  “Don’t worry, I have the best of intentions,” Drake assured me. “I’m not leading you off to my secret lair or anything. I just thought you might like to see the view from the roof deck.”

  I let him lead me up the staircase, but my mind was no less at ease. It was hard not to believe the stories I’d read about Drake’s playboy lifestyle a
nd I had no interest in being his next conquest. But I also couldn’t deny the attraction I felt towards him.

  I can’t be rude, it could cost Oliver his job. And surely the fact that Drake works with my brother puts me on some sort of ‘do not touch’ list. We’ll talk for half an hour and then I’ll think of a reason to go back downstairs.

  We reached the landing at the top of the second flight of stairs and Drake pushed open a large metal door. We stepped out into the night and I caught my breath at the beauty of the rolling sea. I walked straight to the railing, taking in the salty ocean air.

  “Two of my usual, Jack.” Drake’s voice broke the silence. I was confused by his words until I turned and saw a man behind the corner bar.

  “Coming right up, Mr. Waters,” the bartender called back.

  Tall bistro tables lined the edge of the deck and I climbed into one of the chairs. Drake joined me and we sat in silence for a few moments, each of us finishing our martinis. Jack delivered our fresh drinks and disappeared with our empty glasses, after which Drake finally spoke.

  “So, Oliver hasn’t told me much about you, Chelsea. Tell me your favorite thing about yourself.”

  “My brain,” I blurted out without thinking. I cringed for a moment at my honesty and Drake let out an amused laugh.

  “Don’t be embarrassed. That’s the quickest response I’ve ever gotten to that question, which leads me to believe it’s the most honest. I must say though, I’m a bit surprised.”

  I took a long drink of my third martini. My body was so warm that the liquor no longer burned going down. “What were you expecting me to say?” I asked boldly, a hit of a smile on my face.

  Drake took a sip of his drink before answering. “Naturally, I expected a woman of your beauty to list something physical.”

  “Something superficial, you mean,” I corrected him.

  He shrugged. “You can choose the semantics. Whatever you want to call it, I’m impressed… and intrigued. Tell me more.” The smoldering look in his eyes sent a tingling sensation down my body that made me incredibly nervous.

  “What do you want to know?” I asked, trying to keep my voice casual. I looked back at the water and finished my drink. Drake signaled Jack for another as he answered.

  “Everything. What do you do for a living? How do you spend your time? And how in the hell are you still single?”

  The series of questions made me laugh. “Once I give you the first two answers, the third one will be pretty clear. I have a bachelor’s degree in anthropology, with a minor in linguistics. I work in the public relations office at the Manhattan Historical Society and I spend most of my free time reading.”

  Drake sat silently for a moment and then gave me a puzzled look. “I don’t see how any of that explains why you’re single. Forgive my candor, but you’re one of the sexiest women I’ve ever met.”

  Jack delivered our next round and I twirled the olive laden toothpick in my glass. I wasn’t sure how to proceed. Part of me wanted to nip the conversation in the bud and escape downstairs before Drake paid me anymore compliments. But another part of me, a much larger part, couldn’t draw myself away from him. He was so easy to talk to, so I decided to be honest. I met his eyes and shrugged.

  “When you look like I do, most men expect you to be stupid. They expect a lot of things, actually, none of which are intelligence.”

  “You’re meeting the wrong kind of men,” he told me, taking my hand in his. I let him hold it for a moment and then my flight instinct kicked in. I pulled away from him and slid out of my seat. Drake stood and blocked my path to the door.

  “Is everything okay?” he asked, his eyes full of concern. He softly rested his hands on my arms and, finally, I looked up at him.

  “Yes, everything’s fine. I’m sorry I just don’t want you to get the wrong idea.”

  “And what idea is that?” he asked, his voice full of innocence. “Please, sit back down.”

  I obeyed, but only because at that moment the martinis caught up with me and I felt unsteady on my feet.

  “Jack, a bottle of Pellegrino please,” Drake directed as I stumbled back to the table. He helped me into my seat and then sat down across from me. Jack appeared with the sparkling water and I took a long gulp.

  “Sorry,” I said with a sheepish grin. “I don’t usually drink hard liquor. I guess I over did it a little.”

  “No worries,” Drake assured me. “I’m more concerned about this idea you think I have… and why you don’t want me to have it.”

  I blushed and wondered if I’d been mistaken. I remembered his hand on mine and knew I hadn’t. “I’m flattered by your compliments, Drake. When you took my hand, I assumed that you were hitting on me. If I’m mistaken, I apologize.”

  “Of course I was hitting on you.” He laughed. A low rumbling that seemed to vibrate deep in my belly. “Why is that a bad thing?” he asked, his brows pinched together.

  “You work with my brother. We shouldn’t be involved,” I told him. It was the truth, but Oliver was far from my only reason to stay away from the billionaire.

  Drake didn’t seem to see Oliver as a deterrent. “I don’t understand how that matters. I’m more than capable of keeping my business and personal lives separate. Especially if it means that I can spend time with a woman who can carry on intelligent conversations.”

  I wanted to give into him, which made me incredibly pissed off at myself. I’d let him charm me, just like every other woman who came before. Despite his reputation, my resolve had crumbled with a few sweet words and a charming smile. My head stopped spinning, but the alcohol was still coursing through my veins. That was the only excuse for what came out of my mouth as I turned my anger from myself to Drake.

  “Look Drake, you seem like a nice guy. But I’m sure that all of those women you’ve been photographed with thought the same thing while you were charming them. I don’t care how much money you have or how handsome you are. We have nothing in common and there’s no way in hell I’d sign your infamous nondisclosure agreement. I appreciate your compliments, but you’re wasting your time.”

  I expected to see anger on Drake’s, face but instead, he gave me another wide smile. “So just how handsome do you think I am?” he asked.

  “I think you missed the point,” I insisted.

  “I think you’ve been misinformed,” he countered. “I won’t pretend that there haven’t been plenty of women in my past. But I’ve certainly never made anyone sign a nondisclosure. I date women with class. That’s why my name has never been smeared through the tabloids. And as far as us having nothing in common, how could you possibly know that?”

  “Your house, to begin with. We live in completely different worlds, Drake. And I’m perfectly happy in mine.”

  “This is a first,” he mused. “I’ve had plenty of people try to use me for my money. I’ve never had anyone run from me because of it. I’d have thought that mind you’re so proud of would be a little more open.”

  He had me there. I was judging him by his money, the same way others judged me by my body. I opened my mouth to apologize, but Drake beat me to it.

  “Look Chelsea, I can’t blame you for coming here with preconceived notions about me. All I’m asking is for the chance to show you the truth. The moment I laid eyes on you last night, I wanted to get to know you better. And that desire has only grown tonight. Let me take you to brunch tomorrow. If you’re still not interested in me after that, I’ll never bother you again.”

  I’m interested in you now… that’s the problem.

  I knew I couldn’t trust Drake, but I felt a burning, desperate desire to believe otherwise.

  “I’ll have brunch with you, but just as friends,” I compromised.

  “I’ll take what I can get,” he replied with a satisfied smile.

  CHAPTER 3

  e

  “I’m so excited for you, Chelsea.” Stacey lay on my bed and watched as I dressed for brunch with Drake.

  “It’s ju
st brunch, Stacey. And I’m sure Drake will be racing to bring me home once he realizes we have nothing in common,” I assured her dryly.

  “You don’t give yourself enough credit,” she said with a frown. “I bet you and Drake have more in common than you realize. That top is really pretty,” she added as I pulled a dark purple tunic over my head.

  “Thanks. Piper picked it out.”

  “She has good taste.”

  An awkward silence settled over the room as I brushed on a light layer of makeup. After a few minutes, Stacey cleared her throat.

  “Chelsea…?” she began, her voice dripping with anxiety. I turned to her, curious as to what might be bothering her so much.

  “Yes?”

  She blushed but pressed on. “I just wanted to tell you again that I’m glad you came this weekend. I know you’ve never particularly warmed to me…”

  “I never meant for you to feel that way,” I said with a sigh.

  It was her turn to raise an eyebrow. “You aren’t denying it, you just never meant for me to feel it.”

  I tried to think of a way to reply without hurting her feelings. I settled next to her on the bed and began slowly. “I love you, Stacey. I truly, honestly do. I’ve just never felt like we had much in common. Our priorities have always been so different. I’ve been focused on my career. You’ve been focused on Oliver. And when you push me towards men and talk about depending on them…”

  “You resent me for it,” she finished.

  “I wouldn’t say that,” I argued.

  “It’s okay, Chelsea. Being married to Oliver, the relationship we have… it makes me incredibly happy. I know we don’t have a lot in common. I guess I thought that if you found someone who made you this happy, that could be something we shared. And I never meant that you needed a man to take care of you. I just wish you could know what it feels like to have a man around who wants to. I’m sorry if I overstepped. “

  She’s not trying to be pushy. She just wants us to have some common ground.

  “And I’m sorry for being so distant,” I offered. “You’re absolutely right. I should spend more time with you and Oliver.”