The Benefactor

by Nana Malone

  A voice from around the corner prompted him to take an immediate step away from me. People were coming. He opened the file he’d been holding as if we were studying it. As if this was a perfectly normal professional conversation between the CEO and one of his executives. When we paused at my office, I started to go right, and he narrowed his gaze at me. “Miss Ashong, aren’t you joining me?”

  “No. Like I said, I have work to do.” I was saved by my ringing phone. “See? I have to go.”

  “We’re not done,” he growled.

  “For now we are.” Laughing, I gave him a wink and raced to grab my phone. “Olivia Ashong here.”

  “Olivia, it’s Forest Smith.”

  I sucked in a sharp breath. “Oh, Forest. How are you?”

  “I’m great. I hope you’re well. I got the latest pages you sent over. This is fascinating. I’ve already got some interest in it for a televised special.”

  My stomach flipped. “It’s not even done yet.”

  “But you’re getting to the meat now, aren’t you?”

  “Well, I’m digging deeper. But—”

  He cut me off. “It’s fine. We have a long lead on these things. Are you still on target to get me full pages in the next six months?”

  “Well, I think so. But the research is what it is.”

  “Well, the good news is, this isn’t about you solving the mystery. We could do a second book if you don’t actually solve it by then.”

  What the hell did he mean it wasn’t about solving the mystery? I needed to see this through to the end. “The world of publishing is bizarre.”

  “I know. But on a side note, since you’re really into this research, I have a contact who is a publicist for multi-media studio. She’s very excited to speak with you. True crime is very hot right now.”

  “A publicist?” With people trying to hurt me, he wanted me to have more exposure? He doesn’t know people are trying to kill you.

  “Yeah. Would you be interested?”

  “Um, I guess so.” My skin flushed. “Sorry, this is all very sudden. It’s just that when I thought about finishing Mom’s book, I didn’t think it would come with all this extra stuff.”

  “This is good. It’s great. She’s just going to ask you a few questions. Make sure you’re not a complete psycho or a nut job. If they’re going to put you on television, they need to vet you and make sure they aren’t going to get anyone who jumps up to talk about how crazy you are and how you can’t be believed or trusted.”

  I swallowed hard. “Television? I thought this would be for a podcast or something.”

  “Well, large media. I mean, the exposure would be great to help promote the book.”

  I swallowed, thinking about Dexter, about Fenton. “Um, about that, it’s just that I’m not really a television kind of person. And my life is... complicated.”

  Forest chuckled. “Look, I get it. You don’t want the press having access to your life. And given the way Ben arranged our introduction in such a roundabout way, I gather you two are together and you don’t want people a little too interested in your relationship.”

  God, how had he made that leap already?

  “Um, this has nothing to do with my relationship with Mr. Covington. It’s just that I’m a private person, and I didn’t think when I went digging for the truth that it would mean exposing my life. So I have to give it some thought.”

  “What’s to think about? This is good exposure for you. And if you do decide to take this true crime book down that road and turn it into a thriller-writing career, it’s a great leverage point. Think about it. But don’t think too long. Opportunities are waiting for you.”

  “I hear you, and I’m ever grateful. I swear. It’s just, it’s a lot.”

  “Fine. Think about it. But I need to know by next week.”

  I frowned. Next week? Would all of this be tied up by then? “I promise. I’ll let you know.”

  “Fair enough. Don’t wait too long.”

  I hung up on Forest and sagged on my seat. That was how Jessa found me.

  “Why do you look like someone took your puppy?”

  “Ah, sorry. What were you saying?”

  She laughed. “We just had a great meeting with Peterson. You kicked ass. Your presentation was awesome.”

  “Thanks. Sorry. I’m not worried about that. I just had a call from that editor about the book of my mom’s.”

  “Yeah, what’s the problem?”

  “He wants to get me on some kind of true crime show, talking about open cases that were mysteriously never closed. He wants a publicist to talk to me and make sure I have no skeletons in my closet.”

  Jessa frowned. “What’s the problem?”

  “Well, the problem is I have lots of skeletons, right? First of which, we’re trying to, you know, pull off a little heist.” I whispered the word.

  She frowned. “Oh, I see.”

  “Yup. If I say yes to the publicist, it would mean people are going to start poking at my life. If people start poking around my life, people will start poking around Ben’s life. And nobody wants that. Especially if we’re about to pull this off. But if I say no, I’ll likely lose my shot.”

  “Well, what are you going to do?”

  “Well, after everything Ben’s done for me, there’s no way I’m going to put him in the spotlight this way. So, I’ve got to figure it out.”

  “Or, you could talk to him. You know, a good old-fashioned conversation.”

  “Look at you, talking sense.”

  She shrugged. “All I know is that Roone and I have been through times when communication wasn’t exactly our strongest suit. Sometimes you want to do the right thing for the person you love. But they also want to do the right thing for you. It becomes a gift to the magi if you don’t talk about it.”

  “I just don’t want to do anything that’s going to draw attention to Ben, the London Lords, or the fucking Elite. But with something like this, I could get the right kind of exposure for my mom’s book, her legacy.”

  “Then talk to him. It’s Ben. I might have gotten him a mug that says World’s Biggest Dick, and he very clearly is taking the wrong meaning for that, but it didn’t actually mean that he is a dick. And he obviously loves you.”

  I frowned at that. “No, that’s not what this—”

  “Yes, it is. You don’t see it? He looks at you in the same way Roone looks at me, the same way Lucas looks at Bryna.”

  Had I missed it? Did he love me? I knew we’d talked about what this meant and us making a go of it, and he’d used the word girlfriend, but actual love? “I don’t know.”

  “Yes, you do. But you’re going to do that thing where you think about going it alone. And then you’re eventually going to cave. You’ll realize that it’s really in your best interest not to do it alone. So skip the pondering stuff and just talk to him. It’ll make your life easier.”

  “Are you always this bossy?”

  She grinned. “Only when I’m the boss. Which is pretty much right now.”

  “And here I was just starting to call you my friend.”

  “Well, good thing I can be both then. Talk to him. It won’t kill you.”

  It might not kill me, but it was going to require that I be vulnerable. And I wasn’t sure I was ready for that.

  18

  Ben

  Olivia passed my home office with a stack of papers in her hand. I couldn’t help but smile. I loved having her there. Suddenly, the townhouse felt like a home. She had books on the coffee table, fun towels in the bathroom, not my stale monogrammed ones. She left half-drunk fizzy bottles all over the house. All the hell over.

  Ann Marie got most of them, but every now and then I’d find one under the coffee table. It was like she was trying to drive me deliberately insane. And I loved every moment of it. My house was lived in now. Not to mention I had someone I cared about. Someone who was important. I left my desk and followed her. “You need help carrying all that?”

&n
bsp; She should have figured out what I was up to. “No. You go be, you know, important and whatnot. Don’t you have some work to do?”

  “I just finished it. I was hoping to distract you.”

  Her brows shot up. “Sorry. I have to get a chapter out to Forest.”

  “Are you sure I can’t distract you? I’d only need ten minutes.”

  She laughed then. “No. Every time you say ten minutes it takes at least an hour because you insist on making me come more than once. I don’t have time for that. Chapter. Pages. Words. After that, you can be my reward.”

  “I’m not good at delayed gratification.”

  I reached for her, and she scooted out of the way. “Bennett James Covington. If you grab my ass one more time, you will be in timeout. You have to learn to wait for your fun. Honestly, I do have to work.”

  “Fine. I guess I’ll go watch TV. I think the footy match is on.”

  She gave me a soft smile. “Are you missing your mates? Do you want to call Bridge and have a play date?”

  “Woman, if you continue teasing me, I will make you forget you have to turn in that chapter.”

  She giggled and scooted into the library. The shorts she wore were so minuscule her ass was practically on display. God, I loved having her here.

  I distracted myself by heading to the great room. I turned the TV on then poured myself a drink and rooted around in the cabinet for snacks. I never used to have snacks in here.

  That’s because you didn’t live here.

  But now she had stocked up on all the best, knowing full well I had a sweet tooth. There were healthy things like rice cakes and wheatgerm cakes and nutty looking crackers and things that said veggie something or other, but I bypassed all of those I went straight to the candy cabinet. I pulled out a bag of Maltesers and grabbed my scotch. I'm just about to ease myself onto the couch when the front door rang.

  We’d gotten into the habit of sending the staff home in the evening, her idea really. So we would become more of a normal couple.

  It was funny, because as it turned out, I didn’t want to be waited on hand and foot. It wasn’t so bad doing things myself, and I actually enjoyed it. I set my drink and the Maltesers down and jogged to the front door. “I got it. You keep working. I want my reward later.”

  She laughed and muttered something that sounded like ‘you’re impossible,’ but she didn’t come out. When I checked the security camera I frowned. What the fuck was he doing here?

  I unlocked the door and deliberately opened it just a crack. “Dad, what do you want? I’m certain we have nothing left to say.”

  “Bennett, let me in.”

  I shook my head. “No, you can tell me what you want from there.”

  He crossed his arms and glowered at me. “That’s it, carry on like an immature prick.”

  “Gee, Dad, that’s just the way to get me to open the door for you.”

  He shoved past me, barging in. “You were always such a bloody tosser.”

  “Wow. Tell me how you really feel.” I followed him into the great room. “Can you make this fast, please? Are you here to lie to me again? Unless you’re here to tell me the truth, you can get the fuck out.”

  He shook his head. “Can you explain to me where exactly I went wrong with you? I gave you every advantage. Everything you needed. I pulled every string I could for you. And still, you are ungrateful. You don’t value any of it. And worst, you think you’re above it all. You think your shit doesn’t stink, boy? I promise you it absolutely does.”

  “Brilliant. Is that what you’re here to tell me? You know where the door is. See yourself out.”

  He swallowed hard. “For fuck’s sake. I came to get you to answer a question for me.”

  “Oh, you mean like the time I came to you for answers and you told me nothing but lies? This should be brilliant. Fire away.”

  He scowled. “Rumor is that you and your mates are making a real play for Director Prime.”

  “You already knew we were trying to disrupt Van Linsted.”

  “But you didn’t have a candidate. Rumor is you’re the candidate.”

  “The hell I am. We haven’t decided. But it will be one of the four of us. The one with the best shot.”

  “What are you, mad? It has to be you.”

  I walked around him to the side table and picked up my drink, downing it all in one gulp. I thought it would give me fortification, but it didn’t. All it did was burn. And I didn’t even get to enjoy any Maltesers. “What objection do you have to the others?”

  “Edgerton is unacceptable for reasons that should be apparent to even you. Hale would rather flay his own skin than to do anything that will shed any sort of favorable light on his father. That leaves you and Wilcox.”

  “How do you even know any of this?”

  He gave a mirthless chuckle. “How long do you think I’ve been at this currency of secrets? Wilcox is a poor choice. It has to be you.”

  “Pray tell, what is wrong with Drew?”

  “You think he’s your friend, but he’ll be the worst Director Prime. He’s too easily manipulated. He’s malleable, and he has his own agenda.”

  “Just because that’s who you are, it doesn’t mean that’s who Drew is. He’s the best choice.”

  He marched up to me, grabbing me by the front of my shirt. “When will you learn? You don’t make a move unless you intend to win. No member is going to throw their weight behind a Wilcox. You, on the other hand, are a name they can get behind.”

  I shoved him off. “Back off, Dad. Being Elite is hard enough for me. I don’t want to be Director Prime.”

  “Do you understand anything about legacy, who we’re meant to be, what we’re meant to do? How is it you’ve gotten this far without thinking about any of that?”

  “Easy. I try not to be you.”

  “For fuck’s sake, Bennett, you know I’m right. The Elite will not get behind Drew.”

  “So tell me why you care, Dad. Explain to me why all of a sudden you give a shit about who I am and what I want.”

  “Because our interests align. How can you not see that?”

  I shook my head. “And that’s just it. Any time you tell me our interests align I know to do the exact opposite. I don’t want the Director Prime seat. I want nothing to do with the Elite. I know what they did to my friend. As soon as I can be done with them, I will be.”

  He frowned. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

  I’d almost said too much. “Look, I’ll go to the meetings, I’ll stay in there and play the part, do everything I need to do. But if you want to pretend for a damn minute like I’m going to buy into the bullshit ever again, you’re lying to yourself. Barking up the wrong tree. Because I will never be you. I won’t sacrifice who I am just to make you happy. Just to make you more powerful. You wanted to mold me in your image. Well here’s one big fuck you, old man.”

  From the side hall, Olivia called out. “Ben? Who are you talking to?”

  She paused abruptly and stopped talking when she saw my father. My father’s gaze lingered over her body. Cataloging every curve, every move. “Well, well, Bennett aren’t you a dark horse. Keeping all the good ones for himself. Never figured you as one to use a service. Or is she a ‘model?”” He put the word model in airquotes.

  “Dad, shut—” Before I could even tell him to shut up and get out of my house, Livy started in on him.

  Her brows rose. “I beg your pardon?”

  He still didn’t address her directly. Like she wasn’t even a person. “Bennett, you really managed quite a stunner.”

  Olivia cocked her hip, adjusting the weight from the foot in front to the one in the back. I knew that was the exact stance she always made when she was about to tell someone off and ruin their day. “I don’t believe we’ve met. Who the hell are you?”

  My father looked confused that she’d been so direct with him. “No, we certainly have not. But if you like we can become better acquainted.” That was a
ll he said, leaving it to her to infer his meaning.

  That was it. “Shut up Dad. I’d rather she didn’t know my father was a complete twat. This is Olivia Ashong. She’s my girlfriend.”

  Olivia’s gaze narrowed at me. But she didn’t refute my claim.

  The old man chuckled. “Girlfriend you say. Right. Well you surely do know how to pick the lookers. Make sure this one’s not after your bank account.”

  He must have thought Olivia would shrink away or be embarrassed somehow. Instead, she very calmly said, “Well, you would know, sir, wouldn’t you? I would say I have been looking forward to meeting you, but I have this whole policy about not associating with people who look at me like a piece of meat.” She turned to me. “Ben, just tell me when you need me. I’m ready when you are.”

  I grinned at my father, who sputtered as his skin went a shade of bright red. “Who the fuck does she think she is?”

  “Well, like I said, she’s Olivia Ashong, and she’s my girlfriend. And you should probably go because we’re about to shag on every flat surface in this house, especially after what she just said to you. I’m completely mad about her, and she disdains you, so that’s a bonus. I appreciate you coming over to tell me how to run my life and what to do with my Elite vote, but your advice isn’t needed here.”

  “One day you’ll realize that the decisions I’ve made have always been for you. You will come to see that I gave you excellent advice. Watch out for that one.”

  I shook my head. “She’s healing me. And I do have to say you were right about one thing. I didn’t know how to handle a woman like Lila because I didn’t know how to handle deceitful bitches. Thank you for helping to educate me on that.” I marched past him to the front door and then opened it wide for him to leave. “I’ll see you at the next meeting, Dad.”

  “Is this the line you’re taking?”

  I gave him a sharp nod. “Yeah. That’s the line I’m taking. I wish I could say it was good to see you, but that wouldn’t be true.”

  Livy