Battle of Forces

by Ali Vali

  “But you promised to help me.” Bailey pressed his hands to his chest and appeared desperate. “We’re halfway there.”

  “We all want something, Bailey, but don’t worry. I gave you my word.” He caressed Bailey’s cheek to calm him. “And I don’t do that often.”

  “I’m grateful.” Bailey kissed his palm.

  “How grateful?” He turned Bailey around and pushed him to the ground. The weak little bastard looked back and smiled at him. It wouldn’t be long now before he had the world at his feet like this, happy to do his bidding.

  It wouldn’t be long at all.

  *

  At the gate to Riverbend, Piper put her hand on Kendal’s arm so she slowed the car to a stop. “Would it be all right for us to stay at Oakgrove tonight?”

  “Sure, but why does it sound like you think I’ll say no?” Kendal took her hand off the stick shift and put it on Piper’s knee.

  “I don’t think you’ll say no, but feel free to if you want.” Piper stared out the passenger window as if she suddenly couldn’t face some horrible truth.

  “Okay,” Kendal said as she moved her hand to Piper’s shoulder. “Do you want me to say no because you’d rather live somewhere else, or do you want me to say yes? Neither one is a wrong answer, but I’m not sure which way you want me to go.”

  “Oakgrove is loaded with memories. If it’s special to you, I don’t want to intrude.” Piper turned around, but it appeared like the words were harder to get out than carrying her and the car next door on her back.

  “I own lots of real estate that’s special to me, but not because of any history I’ve had with a woman. Oakgrove is one because the first time I saw this place I had a need to tame it and make it my home. That was long before I met Angelina and Tomas, so it doesn’t stand as a testament to how I felt about her. If that were true, I’d have had it burned to the ground to not have any memory of it and what happened. To me there are so many happy memories of Oakgrove, and they have nothing to do with the du’Pons.”

  Piper looked at her for a long moment without saying anything, her face illuminated by the dashboard light. “I asked because of the painting in the sitting room. I love you, but I respect that you might need to keep some things separate from us.”

  “I want you in all aspects of my life, Piper. What I own, what I’ve collected, and what I’ve experienced are all open and available to you. All you have to do is ask and I promise to always be honest.”

  “You really are sweet, considering what you’ve done for a living.”

  “Don’t mention it to any vampire or werewolf you run across. It’ll ruin my killer reputation.” Kendal kissed Piper now that she was smiling again. “And before you let the painting change your mind about making Oakgrove our home, you should know it was a gift from Tomas du’Pon. He brought it with them on their one and only visit. Charlie eventually hung it over the mantel, and I didn’t remember it existed until I came back.”

  “Don’t take what I’m about to say wrong. I love being in love, but it’s making me a little crazy and a lot jealous. After all, I’m worried about a woman who’s been dead for three hundred years. I’ll need medication when the Viking goddess gets here.”

  “If it makes you feel better, I called ahead and had Charlie make the house more welcoming for you.” She kissed Piper again before she started toward the road. “I never want you to feel out of place anywhere with me.”

  “My grandfather was wrong,” Piper said before kissing Kendal. “I’m the lucky one.”

  “I’m glad you think so.”

  Charlie was waiting on the porch when they arrived, and Piper held him in a long embrace before she kissed his cheek. “Thank you for the big hint you dropped, Charlie. If you hadn’t sent me to find Lenore, I’d still be in bed crying.”

  “Good people deserve to be in love, so I’m glad the prickly bear decided to wise up.”

  “Do you want me to demonstrate how I can stab you and you’d still survive?” Kendal asked Charlie when he opened his arms to her.

  “Okay, I’ll go with teddy bear,” he joked as they went down for the bags. Since none of them needed sleep they went for a walk through the gardens on the way to the stables. “Hill accepted your offer and brought by a picture for you to look at.”

  “If it’s a shot of her in her underwear so Piper will see what she’s missing and leave me, we’re not interested,” she said, making Piper laugh.

  “I deleted those. All that’s left is some guy named Leonardo. He didn’t give any other information about himself and offered her twenty-five grand for information on you.” Charlie cut a yellow rosebud and handed it to Piper. “Her secret weapon to digging up dirt on Kendal was you, Piper.”

  “Did Hill send him packing?”

  “She did, and she got footage of the guy to see if you recognized him,” he told Kendal.

  “I’ll deal with that tomorrow,” she said as she fed her horse Ruda an apple.

  “What’s Hill doing for you?” Piper asked.

  “Since I was relocating here, I thought she’d be interested in being my head of security. She can upgrade the system here too.”

  “What are you planning to do?”

  “I haven’t decided, but maybe some kind of support business for places like Marmande. I could also do some consulting for you if you’re nice enough to hire me, and if that doesn’t work out, Charlie and I could start giving blindfolded fencing lessons.”

  They talked some more as they headed back to the main house, but Charlie turned toward home before they arrived. The house he’d shared with his family had been remodeled countless times, but he refused to leave it.

  “Tell him it’s okay to stay in the house now that we’re back. I feel terrible that we’re putting him out,” Piper said.

  “Charlie never stays anywhere except his home here, and I’m tired of arguing with him about moving. He likes to sleep where he and his family lived together, and I can’t blame him.”

  “He’s been alone since the night Henri went on a rampage?”

  “He was in love with his wife, and it’s taken him some time to get over it. But then it took me over three thousand years to find the right woman to settle down with, so I’m not rushing him.”

  She led Piper up to the master suite and opened the French doors to the veranda. It was cold outside, but not freezing; the breeze would make a fire comfortable.

  “Who do you think Leonardo is?”

  “I’ve met a few through the years, but no one by that name recently, so I’m not sure.”

  “Whoever he is, he didn’t think much of Hill’s scruples.”

  “Money and power are all some people understand, and they think everyone’s the same.” Piper pressed against her, and Kendal planned to hold her there until sunrise. “I’m sure it’s nothing but someone trying to work an angle on Kendal Richoux.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Piper said, and shivered.

  “Cold?”

  “No. It’s like someone walked over my grave,” Piper said, emphasizing the old expression of foreboding with another shiver.

  Kendal wanted a quiet life with Piper and peace, but sometimes those kinds of wishes were as fleeting as dew on the morning grass.

  Chapter Three

  Hill walked out of Kendal’s study after their meeting the next morning and smiled when she spotted Piper coming down the steps. Kendal had called Hill over earlier to discuss her new role as well as talk about the visit from Leonardo. While Hill was in Kendal’s office Piper had stayed upstairs to rearrange their closet, since Molly had one of their staff packing Piper’s belongings at her condo to bring over.

  “You found all your answers?” Hill asked Piper.

  “Even how she looks under her robe up close,” she teased, and Kendal laughed.

  “Good luck, Kendal, you’re going to need it with this one,” Hill teased back. “I’ve known Piper for years and she gives the word ‘stubborn’ its definition.”

 
; “She’d be boring if she was too agreeable, so I don’t mind stubborn. Call me later and let me know what you think of the layout of those offices, and don’t forget about Leonardo.”

  “You know who he is?” Piper asked.

  “Not yet, but his picture made me curious as to why he’s asking about me.” She put her suit jacket on and offered Piper her hand for the walk to the front door. “Want to meet me in town later?”

  “Trying to ditch me already?”

  “I’m having lunch with my soon-to-be past,” she said before she kissed her.

  “Which one?” Piper asked softly so Hill wouldn’t overhear them.

  “The New York one, and I thought lunch would be better than a phone call this time. It might make for fewer headaches down the road.”

  “I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.”

  Kendal took one of the cars in, and from Bruce Babbage’s smile and welcome, she could tell he had the wrong impression. He was starting to babble and making a lot of hand gestures the way he did when he was excited. It’d be short-lived.

  “I can’t believe you called,” Bruce said as he sat with Kendal in the Palace Café. As in most of their takeovers, she’d tapped Bruce to take the lead when she’d chosen Marmande as her excuse to travel to New Orleans. He’d sulked ever since she’d sent him home with a severe reprimand and no prize. Marmande was off-limits to him. “It’s a good thing you got all this crap out of your system. The team’s put together some great prospects, and if you’re not ready to go full-time, I’ll take the lead.”

  “Don’t get ahead of me, Bruce. I called you because I didn’t want to do this over the phone or have you hear it from someone else.” She stopped so the waiters could serve lunch and refill their glasses. “I’m retiring and I’ve asked Michelle Butler to take over. Once the news breaks I don’t want you to think you’re losing your place. You’ll have a job with me as long as you want one.”

  He sat on his hands as if trying to keep from lashing out at her, but from the way his eyes moved rapidly back and forth, he was frantic. It didn’t happen often, since Bruce prided himself on control, but she knew him well enough to recognize all the signs.

  “You can’t do that.” He pushed his plate away and spilled half the cream sauce from his fish on the tablecloth. “You owe me more than that.”

  She twirled a little of the spicy shrimp and pasta she’d ordered and let him burn some of his anger away. This meeting was a waste of good food, but she’d wanted to let Bruce down easy as a favor to his father, who she cared for, and for the loyalty he’d shown her at first. After a few deals, Bruce enjoyed the kill more than any other part of the job. He seemed to thrive on the misery of the owners whose companies were on the block.

  “I asked you here as a courtesy, so calm down. That’s always been your problem. You get your head full of steam over stuff you have no control over, and it pisses me off since all that bravado is usually aimed at me.”

  “So after everything I’ve done to build you up and make money for you, there’s no discussion on this? Michelle’s in charge and I’m supposed to fall in line?”

  “You’ve built me up?” She laughed and took a sip of wine. “I brought you into the business because our fathers were friends, so take your revisionist history and sell it to someone who’s interested. Despite your behavior today, you’ll retain your position, but Michelle is a better fit for the top job.”

  He put his hands flat on the table and leaned in. “You’re delusional if you think I’m taking this bullshit like a punk who doesn’t deserve better.”

  Bruce had a coughing fit when Piper grabbed him by the collar and yanked him back into his seat. “The world is full of possibilities, Mr. Babbage, but you won’t find a better deal than this,” Piper said softly as she kept moving to Kendal’s side and kissed her.

  “She’s right. If you can do better I won’t hold you back,” Kendal said to Bruce, but she kept her eyes on Piper’s face. Her part was done, and she was glad she’d done it in person. After this, she wouldn’t see Bruce again and wouldn’t miss him even though he’d been in her life for years.

  When he reached into his jacket she refocused on him. “I thought we had a good relationship, but I can’t accept being fucked over.” He threw the envelope at her with so much force it landed in her plate. “My contract says I’ve got to give you three months, but I figure we end this today. The sooner I’m done with you, the quicker I can start my own shop. Nothing in my contract, though, states I can’t bid on the stuff I’m working on now. Maybe the lost revenue will prove to you how valuable I am.”

  Kendal stared at him for a long uncomfortable span before she extended her hand to him. The business would continue to make money without her, and her absence would allow the name Kendal Richoux to start to die away. This would soon be a chapter of her history, but Bruce was missing a crucial fact of her makeup. Time, and all the years she’d lived, would never dull her competitiveness.

  “Best of luck to you, but think carefully about doing anything stupid. You’re gone as of today, and you’ll be locked out of everything before you make it to the street.” She squeezed his hand when he tried to pull away. “You want your own business, do it, but not at my expense. For once take after your father and work for what you want.” She increased the pressure and brought him closer. “You’re not strong enough to threaten me, so don’t try it again, and don’t ever throw anything at me.” She briefly glanced down at the envelope in her plate. “You do and I’ll cram it down your throat and pull it out the other end.”

  “Listen, you—”

  “It’s time for you to go,” Piper said.

  “I may not be fucking her, but I know more about her—”

  That was all he was able to get out before Kendal stood and grabbed him by the throat. “You ungrateful little son of a bitch.” She tensed her hand and smiled at the panic in his eyes. “You think you can talk to her like that?”

  “Let him go, honey,” Piper said as she placed her hand over her heart. Bruce’s face was getting redder, but Kendal wasn’t ready to release him. “We don’t want the nice restaurant people to call the cops, so drop him.”

  Kendal hesitated a second longer before pushing him back hard enough to topple him over. He immediately started to cough and massage his neck. “Get out of my sight, but apologize to the lady before you go.”

  “I’m sorry, Ms. Marmande,” Bruce said in a whisper. “I didn’t mean any disrespect.”

  “Sure you did, but it’s not worth getting upset over.” Piper tugged Kendal toward the bathroom. “You okay?” Piper asked when she was sure they were alone.

  “I feel like an idiot for subjecting anyone to that asshole, and he ruined my pasta,” she said, but laughed as she lifted Piper up on the counter.

  “If you’re lucky we might find something else on the menu to satisfy your appetite.” Piper kissed her hard as she wrapped her legs around her waist.

  “I’d say you were a tease, but I know better. My loss for not coming on to you sooner.”

  “You came on to me plenty,” Piper said, and stopped her hand from getting any higher than her knee. “This is one of Gran’s favorite places, so behave yourself.”

  “I’ll try.”

  “Speaking of Gran, she asked if we’d gotten our costumes for the ball yet. They both sound so excited about it. It’s been ten years since they attended, and they can’t wait to introduce you to this bit of the New Orleans carnival tradition next week.”

  “Should I burst their bubble and tell them I attended the first of these things?”

  “And have them think I’m marrying some lunatic? No way, Monsieur St. Louis. Do you care who we go as?”

  Kendal slapped Piper softly on the butt and walked her back to their table. The mess had been cleared away and the table had been reset. “Whatever you like.”

  “I think I’ve already had the pleasure of meeting the dashing Jacques St. Louis the first couple of times we got together. Th
at afternoon you had me over for lunch under those oaks made me think of the stories you’d told about him.” She stopped and laughed at Kendal’s wink. “God, that makes me sound as crazy as you,” Piper whispered in her ear.

  “If you’d like to meet Jacques for real, it can easily be arranged. I even have his walking stick somewhere around the house.”

  “Perhaps some other time. Like I said, I think I know that part of you already. The ‘gentleman’ I’d like to go with is Antonio De Cristo.”

  “Should I be worried that Italians in tight pants and leather boots turn you on so much?”

  Four new dishes were put on the table and the waiter didn’t interrupt when Piper leaned closer and took her hand. “I’m thinking the only ass you need concern yourself that I might be interested in is yours. After staying in the house you had then, seeing the flowers you created and hearing Lenore tell me that story—I don’t know. I just thought ‘he’ sounded incredibly sexy.”

  “You’re sweet, and Antonio was important back then because of the Inquisition. Kicking a little religious ass was his thing.”

  “That’s who I want to go with, and with any luck, we’ll run into a pack of priests on the way and you can show off for me,” Piper said before kissing her cheek.

  “You got it, but I hope you’re into facial hair. It was a pain to get on back then, but I had to fit in the best I could.” Kendal stopped talking when Piper trailed her fingers over her neck and face.

  “I’ll take you any way I can get you.”

  Chapter Four

  The King’s Masquerade Ball was always held on King’s Day to launch the carnival season in New Orleans. The city’s society elite had started it years before, but now the mayor and his or her spouse were always the hosts. Kendal had attended the inaugural event with Angelina, and Tomas had come as their chaperone, but that night hadn’t been as thrilling as the anticipation of having Piper on her arm.

  She’d left Piper with her grandparents to get ready while she transformed herself into one of her alter egos from her past. The tight leather pants and white silk shirt brought back memories, and the seamstress Charlie had found got the cut of her black velvet jacket right. The only thing missing was the sword she’d carried as De Cristo, and she scratched around the mustache and goatee Charlie had helped her with as she went down to get it.