Secrets (Lords of the City)

by Alice Ward

  The next afternoon, Piper, my family, and I gathered at the federal courthouse for an emergency hearing on Drake’s case. Dad and Drake sat at the defense table together, with the rest of us taking up the row behind them.

  I hadn’t been allowed to visit Drake since his arrest and it was difficult to stay in my seat instead of rushing into his arms. Dad had filled him in on the shocking developments Stacey had uncovered, including the fact he wasn’t biologically a Waters. Dad told me he’d broken out in a wide smile and admitted that deep down, he’d suspected as much for most of his life.

  Dad had advised against conversation while we were waiting for court to be called into session, so Drake and I were limited to whispered hellos and stolen glances. When the bailiff called for us to stand, I managed to slip a small piece of slick, folded paper into Drake’s hand. When we sat again, he opened it and turned back to me with wide-eyed surprise. I gave him a quick smile as the judge began to address us.

  “Mr. Simmons, I understand there’s been a new development in the government’s case against Mr. Drake Waters. Please present your new evidence.”

  As the judge spoke, I heard the heavy door of the courtroom swing open. A few moments later, Rebecca’s flowery perfume filled the air and a chair creaked behind us.

  Good… she’s just in time.

  The prosecutor stood and carried a large stack of paperwork to the judge.

  “Your honor, new evidence has been uncovered that proves Mr. Waters was framed for these crimes. I’m moving that all charges against him be dropped and new warrants be issued for Kevin Barrett and Rebecca Waters.”

  “What have you done?” Rebecca hissed behind me. I refused to give her the satisfaction of turning around.

  I’m just getting started, you fucking bitch.

  Rebecca’s chair creaked again and Dad rose to his feet. “Excuse me, your honor. But Mrs. Waters is here now. If it pleases the court, may I suggest she be detained until you’ve had ample time to review the information in front of you?”

  “Bailiff, please stop Mrs. Waters from leaving the courtroom,” the judge ordered, his eyes still on the documents. It didn’t take him long to agree with the prosecutor. He stacked the pages into a pile and turned to Drake.

  “Mr. Waters, the charges against you are dismissed. The court apologizes for this misunderstanding and assures you that proper justice will be served. You are free to leave. Bailiff, please place Mrs. Waters in custody and transport her to a holding cell for processing. This court is adjourned.”

  And with a slam of his gavel, all of our problems were over. I jumped to my feet and Drake pulled me into his arms, ignoring Rebecca’s screams and threats as she was pulled away.

  “We’re free, Chelsea,” he whispered into my ear. “We’re finally free.”

  I held his face in my hands and pulled his lips to mine. We kissed softly until Dad cleared his throat.

  “Mind if the rest of us congratulate him, sweetheart,” Dad teased.

  I blushed and took a few steps back. Mom threw her arms around Drake, tears falling from her eyes.

  “I’m so happy you’re safe,” she said, holding him against her chest. “Chelsea told me your favorite meal is spaghetti and meatballs. Frank is having all of the ingredients delivered to your penthouse right now. I know you and Chels will want some privacy but first, we’re having a real family celebration.”

  “Thank you, Mom,” he told her, planting a kiss on the top of her head. “I hope you can stay in the city for a while. We have a wedding to plan, after all.”

  “I’d love nothing more,” she replied.

  Oliver, Stacey, and Piper took their turns hugging Drake and then Dad approached him, his hand extended.

  “It was an honor to help you, son,” he said.

  “Thank you, Dad,” Drake replied. They shared a firm handshake and then Drake glanced back at the defense table.

  “Is everything ready like we discussed?” he asked.

  Dad nodded, his jaw slightly clenched. “You don’t have to do this, Drake. A process server can deliver the papers. You never have to see Rebecca again.”

  “And I won’t want to, after today,” Drake agreed. “But I need to see her face when she realizes her world’s been destroyed.”

  “I have no idea what you two are talking about, but I want in on that,” I insisted.

  Drake offered me his arm. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

  Dad took a large manila envelope from the table and passed it to Drake. “The holding cells are down the hall. The bailiff is expecting you. We’ll wait for you outside.”

  “We won’t be long,” Drake promised.

  Drake and I stepped out of the courtroom and he pulled me into his arms.

  “Oh my God, Chelsea,” he breathed into my hair. “How are you feeling? When did you find out? Does anyone else know?” He pulled out the ultrasound picture I’d passed him in court and stared down at our tiny, bean shaped baby.

  “I wanted to tell you first,” I answered with a smile. “I’ve had my suspicions for a few weeks, but I just went to the doctor the day before yesterday. And now that you’re back in my arms, I feel fantastic. But I don’t completely understand what we’re about to do,” I added, nodding down the hallway.

  Drake lifted the manila envelope and flashed me a smile. “We’re going to break some very bad news to Rebecca. Come on, this is going to be fun.”

  We made our way down the hallway and a bailiff nodded us into Rebecca’s holding cell.

  “I can only give you ten minutes,” he warned.

  “We won’t need that long,” Drake replied, shutting the door.

  Rebecca sat on a plastic chair, her hands shackled to the metal table. Her face was red with rage and her words came out in a growl.

  “You have no idea how badly you’ve just fucked yourselves.”

  “Now, now, Rebecca. I’m afraid you’re the one who doesn’t understand the severity of your situation,” Drake replied, his voice full of amusement.

  “Our lawyers will have me out of here before your girlfriend gets back to her trashy walk-up in Jersey,” she hissed.

  “When you say ‘our’, do you mean you and Dad?” he asked. “Or should I say the man you’ve passed off as my dad?”

  A flash of horror crossed Rebecca’s face, but she straightened her shoulders and stared back at us defiantly.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she insisted.

  “Oh, but I think you do,” Drake replied with a grin. “In fact, I know you do. Dad had a long, informative chat with Natasha last night. Tell me, do you even remember my sperm donor’s name?”

  Rebecca’s shoulders sank, but she didn’t give in. “Natasha’s a bitter, jealous woman. You can’t believe anything she told you. And even if her little story was true, it’s not illegal to lie about paternity. This little discovery of yours isn’t going to keep me here.”

  “No, but this will,” Drake said, dropping the envelope onto the table. Rebecca moved for it, but her chained hands couldn’t reach.

  “I’m sorry. Let me help you.”

  Drake opened the envelope and spread its contents across the table. The color drained from Rebecca’s face as she read the documents.

  “Richard has filed for divorce,” he explained jovially. “He says I can still call him Dad and he assures me that this won’t affect my inheritance. I guess a few hundred million dollars is nothing compared to the shame of admitting he’s been a cuckold all of these years.”

  Rebecca sank down into her chair, the fight leaving her body.

  “It just hit you, didn’t it Rebecca? Unlike you, Grandmother insisted that her son have a pre-nup. And I am biological proof that you voided it. So unlike me, you’ve seen your last dime of the Waters money. That means the high priced lawyers aren’t coming to save you this time.”

  Tears fell from Rebecca’s eyes and she turned to me with a snarl. “This is all your fault. He never would have done this to me befo
re he met you.”

  “Because Chelsea finally gave me something worth fighting you for,” Drake growled back at her. “She saved me from the cold, emotionless hell you raised me in. You know, I spent most of my life hating you. But now I just feel sorry for you. Do you even know what love feels like, Rebecca?”

  “I am your mother,” she snapped at him. “Stop calling me Rebecca.”

  “I’d be happy to debate how I should address you if we were ever going to see each other again,” he said softly. “But this is goodbye. I hope you enjoy prison.”

  Drake put a hand on the small of my back and guided me to the door.

  “I’m your mother!” Rebecca screamed again as we stepped into the hallway.

  Drake turned back and stared at her, his face completely emotionless. “You’re nothing, Rebecca. The only mother in this room is the mother of my child.”

  EPILOGUE

  e

  One Year Later

  “Good morning baby,” Drake whispered, his morning whiskers tickling my neck. He wrapped an arm around me and pulled my back to his chest.

  “Good morning,” I replied, snuggling into his body. “What time is it?”

  “It’s almost eleven,” he said, planting a soft kiss on my neck as one hand cupped my breast.

  “Eleven?” I asked in panic. I rolled over and met his eye. “We’re supposed to be in the park at a quarter to noon. Why did you let me sleep so late? Where’s Elliot?”

  “Our son is sleeping off his midmorning bottle,” Drake said, calming my nerves. He lifted the baby monitor in his hand.

  “You’ve been up with him all morning?”

  “Yes,” he answered, kissing my neck again. “I thought you deserved to sleep in after the fantastic benefit you pulled off last night. That money is going to help so many kids.”

  “I couldn’t have done any of it without you,” I insisted modestly. I snuggled back into his arms and thought about the surprising turns our lives had taken.

  Rebecca was charged with a catalog of crimes after we proved she’d set Drake up on the tax evasion and insider trading charges. Her public defender had been unable to win the court’s favor, and she was sentenced to thirty years in a minimum-security prison. She mailed two letters to Drake, both of which were returned unopened. She hadn’t tried to contact us since.

  In Rebecca’s absence, Richard stopped drinking and started acting like a real father to Drake. It was ironic that they’d never been close until after they found out they weren’t actually related. Drake thrived on Richard’s newfound interest in being a father and when our son was born, we gave him a Waters family name.

  When Emma was born, I’d realized just how much I wanted a child of my own. But nothing had prepared me for the love I felt the first time I looked into my little boy’s eyes. He looked exactly like his father, but with my shocking red curls. After only three months, I’d already forgotten what my life had been like without him.

  As a wedding gift, Richard released Drake’s shares of the Waters family trust. Drake’s architecture firm brought in more money than we’d ever be able to spend, so we took the money from Richard and started the Waters Tyler Learning Center for Children. The center offered everything from after school tutoring for high school kids to developmental therapy that helped preemies like Emma catch up with their peers.

  “Thanks for letting me sleep in,” I said, curling my body around Drake. “How long do you think our little man will be out?”

  Drake smiled and ran a hand up my bare leg. “We may be pushing our luck, but I think we have time.”

  He slid his fingers beneath my panties and circled my clit, igniting my body with desire. I let my legs fall open just as the baby monitor began to wail.

  “I knew it was too good to be true,” Drake groaned, pulling his hand away.

  I sat up with a sigh and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “This too shall pass, babe. He has to start napping for more than twenty minutes at a time, eventually.”

  “He won’t,” Drake argued with exaggerated grief. “Our baby hates sleep. The only time he stays down is when he’s in our bed. Which means we’re never having sex again.”

  “Ha ha,” I teased, tossing a pillow at him. “Go get your son. I need to get dressed.”

  Drake popped out of the bed, kissed the top of my head, and then set off to fetch our fussy baby. I heard the nursery door open and within seconds, Elliot’s cries subsided.

  Someone has his daddy wrapped around his little finger. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  I crossed the room, pulled a sundress from my closet, and padded barefoot into the bathroom. I took a long, hot shower, enjoying the only moments of solitude I’d have for the day. When the water started to turn cold, I turned off the tap and moved quickly to get ready for our picnic. Finally dressed, I set off down the hall and found my family ready and waiting in the living room.

  “Munchkin and I packed the basket this morning,” Drake explained, lifting it in the air. “Stacey and Oliver are bringing the blankets and toys. Should I get the stroller?”

  “No,” I replied, lifting Elliot from his bouncy chair. I held him to my chest and breathed in his sweet, innocent smell. “We’re not going far. I’ll just carry him. Are you ready?”

  “After you,” he said, gesturing to the elevator. He slung the diaper bag over his shoulder and we left the penthouse. We stopped in the lobby long enough for Frank to kiss the baby, then stepped outside and crossed over to the park.

  Stacey, Oliver, and Emma were already waiting on a blanket spread out in front of the Alice in Wonderland statue.

  “Good morning,” Stacey said, rushing over to greet us. She took Elliot from my arms while Emma toddled around in the grass.

  “Good morning,” I replied. “Have you two recovered from last night?”

  “I don’t think we’ve stayed out that late since before Emma was born,” Oliver answered with a yawn.

  Drake nodded. “I feel ya, man. I’d love nothing more than to be in bed right now. But Elliot was up with the sun.”

  “Listen to us and our old married couple complaints,” Stacey said with a teasing smile. She sank down onto the blanket and stretched Elliot out beside her. He stared up at the sky and watched as white, puffy clouds moved through the air.

  “What time are Piper and Seth supposed to be here?” Oliver asked, eyeing the picnic basket.

  “They should be here any minute. If you’re hungry, go ahead and dig in,” I insisted.

  Oliver opened the basket and pulled out a cold chicken leg. He held it in his teeth and lifted Emma into his arms.

  “Do you want to go swing with Daddy, pumpkin?”

  She nodded, her eyes wide with excitement. “I swing, Dada.”

  Oliver tossed a glance to Drake. “Would you and little man like to join us?” He took a huge bite of the chicken leg and set off for the playground without waiting for a reply.

  “I guess we’re going to the swings,” Drake said, scooping Elliot up in his arms.

  “Have fun,” I called as he ran to catch up with Oliver.

  Stacey and I sat silently for a few minutes, watching our kids play with their fathers.

  “It’s amazing how much Elliot and Emma look alike,” she observed. “I hope Samuel never feels like an outsider.”

  “Samuel will know who his family is,” I assured her with a comforting squeeze.

  The accident that caused Emma’s early arrival had done more damage to Stacey than anyone had originally realized. Scar tissue accumulated in her abdomen, leaving her unable to carry any more children. She and Oliver turned to an adoption lawyer and they were scheduled to pick up my new nephew from Ecuador the following month.

  “Hello ladies,” Piper called out from behind us. Stacey and I looked over our shoulders and saw her approaching with Seth.

  “Hey,” I greeted her. “The guys took the kids to the swing set. Seth, will you go get them and tell them it’s time to eat?”


  “Of course,” he quickly agreed, eager to join the other men.

  Piper sat down beside me on the blanket. “That was a fantastic party you threw last night, Chelsea. Do you think we can book that band for my reception?”

  “I’ll make a call,” I told her with a smile.

  After almost a year of living together, Seth asked Piper to marry him and she gave up her title of last single girl standing. His art was becoming more and more popular every day, and they’d just made a down payment on an apartment across the park from our building.

  “Look how adorable they are,” Stacey said, nodding towards Oliver and Emma. As cute as my niece looked riding on her daddy’s shoulders, my eyes drifted away from my brother and onto Drake. He held Elliot upright against his chest, talking to him and making faces as they crossed the field to us.

  “They’re the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen,” I agreed.

  We spent the next two hours lounging on the blanket, eating, and chasing Emma as she ran giggling through the grass. When we finally packed up our things, I was exhausted but completely content.

  This was the dream. This was the idea I held on to when it seemed like all hope had been lost. And now, it’s my life. Drake and I are together and Oliver and Stacey are right down stairs. Emma’s as healthy as she would have been if she’d been born on time. And I have a beautiful, flawless son who’s more amazing than anything I could have ever dreamed of. What did I ever do to deserve all of this?

  I lifted Elliot with one arm and took Drake’s free hand as we made our way back to our home. I paused on the curb and he turned to me, his eyes wide.

  “Is everything okay, baby?” he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

  I turned to him and pressed my lips to his. I gave him a short, sweet kiss as Elliot squirmed between us.

  “Yes, baby,” I replied, turning back to the building. “Everything is perfect.”

  THE END

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