Mister Stand-In: A Hero Club Novel

by C. M. Albert

  I went back to the library to look around. I was torn between working up here or on the back patio. I was afraid the heat of the day and the lull of the ocean would either pull me in for a swim or send my ass to the hammock for a nap.

  My phone rang, startling me. I rarely got calls these days as almost everything could be done over text. I glanced down, seeing it was Rico. I answered right away.

  “Did you find anything out?”

  “Hello to you, too, Presley.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said, laughing. I sat down at the desk and propped my feet up, making myself at home. “Hey, Rico. How’s it going? You and Artie doing okay these days?” I asked with sincerity.

  “We’re great, thanks. The adoption is actually going through! Her mother is scheduled for a C-section at the end of next week, so we’re hoping to bring baby Amalie home right after that. I still can’t believe I’m finally going to be someone’s dad.”

  “Rico! That’s great! We really need to do something to celebrate. Is anyone at work throwing you a baby shower?”

  “I haven’t thought much about one, to be honest. We were just so focused on whether we’d even get her or not.”

  “Well, let me ask Bailey. If one hasn’t been organized yet, I’ll make sure she puts a bug in Sylvia’s ear. I know how long you’ve waited for this, and how many hoops you had to jump through until you found your surrogate. It’s definitely worth celebrating!”

  “That’d be great, Presley. We’re kind of in shock that it’s happening so fast now,” he said, chuckling. “Artie’s running around like a mad man trying to get the crib built and installing car seats. I told him to slow his roll since we both take the train everywhere, but he has this three-page checklist that I swear is going to be the death of me.”

  I laughed with my friend and coworker for a few moments more, then remembered the reason for the call. “All right, so lay it on me, Rico. I’m assuming you found something out?”

  “I did. I’m going to send over some files of the original image blown up. It was from the local paper down there. The article talked about the original builder, a man with the last name Cartwright—that’s the name on the builder’s board in the background of the picture. It was unclear if he was just the builder or the original owner. The island was purchased from its original owner outright in all cash as part of a closed estate auction. The deed went to this Cartwright fellow for a short time, but he was the builder, so I’m not sure why. Not long after that, he went missing. Just—disappeared. Off the grid. No one has heard from him since. No known living relatives.”

  “Damn,” I said. Why would Carter have a picture of him? How did his dad fit into the picture? “How did the Truitt family come to own the property? Did anyone suspect foul play?”

  “According to the article, everything was transferred to the Truitt family before The Grove opened. It was never in the other man’s hands as a finished resort. He never saw the project of a lifetime come to fruition. It’s kind of sad if it was truly his.”

  “Yeah,” I agreed. “And there’s a legal paper trail to the Truitts?”

  “Yep. Everything is in their name, uncontested all these years later. There were some fishy things happening on the work site though—police reports filed for vandalism, arson, that kind of thing. Seemed like they all clustered around the ribbon cutting, but then died down eventually. Maybe once it switched hands.”

  “Was there any connection between these crimes and the Cartwright guy’s disappearance?”

  “Not that the police found. They chalked it up to local kids partying there after hours. Once they installed twenty-four-hour security, those crimes disappeared. Back then, that would’ve been armed night guards, I suppose.”

  “So, who all was in the picture?”

  “That was Keaton Truitt, Dex’s grandfather. The other man was the builder, Pennington Cunningham Cartwright. The kids were Dex Truitt Sr., Robert Wright, Catherine St. Germain, and Davison Rockefeller.”

  “Holy shit. Why was he there?”

  “No clue. The family’s name is on nothing else, so he could just be the kid of a family friend.”

  “Nice friends,” I muttered.

  “Right? There’s something else we found out, too. I doubt it’s related, but I’ll let you decide.”

  “What is it?” I asked, swinging my legs down, now on the edge of my seat.

  A stack of papers went flying everywhere. “Shit!”

  “You okay over there?” Rico asked.

  “Yeah, just clumsy,” I sighed, looking down at the mess I’d made. “Go on. I’ll take care of it after our call.”

  “Well, it’s just weird. Even though the deed for the property and the resort itself is in the Truitt family name, there was also a substantial trust set up at the same time, tied to the sale. It’s closed, though. So only the family’s attorney would be privy to the details, or whoever’s name is on the trust. But it doesn’t make much sense, as far as I can tell.”

  “How’d you even find out about it?”

  “Presley, haven’t you learned not to ask me that by now?”

  “Fair point,” I said, laughing. “I doubt it has anything to do with my current article, anyway.”

  “Oh yeah, who’s that on? The Truitt family?”

  “No. That’s been done. And done again,” I said, laughing. “This is on the son of the other boy in the photo. He had this picture up in his home, and I got curious.”

  “You know what they say about curiosity,” he warned.

  “Ha-ha,” I said dryly. “Duly noted. Thanks, Rico.”

  When I hung up, I immediately texted Sylvia’s assistant, Bailey, about Rico and Artie’s baby shower. Luckily, she was all in and told me not to worry about a thing.

  Looking down at the mess on the floor, I sighed. What a klutz! I started picking everything up and trying to organize it back into its original neat stack when something caught my eye. I didn’t mean to snoop, but the legal paperwork was clearly for an established trust. That’s when I saw it was the same Limited Liability Company that was listed on The Grove’s website, which in and of itself wasn’t shocking.

  But my hands began to shake when I saw a name I recognized as the beneficiary of said trust. Holy crap!

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Carter

  “I DON’T UNDERSTAND,” I said, looking between Veta and my father. “I thought you said this was just routine surgery, removing a couple polyps.”

  Dad cleared his throat, reaching out for my hand. “It was, son. And I’ll still be okay. I promise. But they found a small mass when they were in there that was hidden during my initial exam. The camera found it when they were removing the polyps.”

  “A mass. A fucking mass? What does that even mean?” I didn’t mean to, but my voice was getting louder with each question. I let go of his hand and ran my fingers through my hair as I paced the small hospital room. “Like, cancer? Is that what you’re saying?”

  I glanced at Veta and saw her head lower, a lone tear sliding down her brown cheek. Then I looked back to my dad, and when I saw his stoic eyes, I knew.

  “Pops,” I said, my voice catching. This could not be happening.

  “Look, son, it’s not a death sentence or anything, okay? One step at a time. I meet with an oncologist tomorrow. We’ll go from there. Try not to borrow too many worries, okay? We don’t know what we’re facing yet.”

  “Yeah, but Dad—”

  “Get over here, Carter,” he said. And I did. I leaned over the hospital bed and wrapped my arms around the man who had been the one constant my whole life. My rock.

  Now I needed to be his.

  I straightened up, grabbing his hand again. “Just let me know what you need,” I said. “I’m doing all right for myself now, and I can help with hospital bills, home care, whatever you need. I can come stay
here for as long as you need, too, if you need any extra help. I just—”

  My throat caught and I had to bite back tears. I would not do that to my dad.

  “Carter, I’m fine. I promise. One day at a time. Okay?”

  I shoved my hands in the pockets of my jeans and fiddled with Dex’s car keys. “All right, Dad. I’ll be on the island at least through the end of the week and will head over to your house after your oncology appointment if that’s okay.”

  “Sounds good, son.” He looked tired, and that pissed me off. I needed the strong dad I remembered. The one who had energy for days and single-handedly ran the wealthiest island resort in the United States. The one who played ball with me for hours on end when I was twelve. And worked out with me when I was sixteen and wanted to beef up for the girls. The man who ran laps around me, even after I’d gotten out of the military.

  “Where’d you say you were staying while you’re here?” he asked, gratefully taking the cup of ice Veta handed him.

  “I’m actually staying at the Truitt’s place,” I said. “I was gonna stay at the resort because I have a job there tomorrow night. But Dex offered, and I couldn’t pass it up. Have you ever been over there?” I asked, then felt stupid. Of course he had. He knew every inch of this island. Nothing escaped “Mr. Bob.”

  He nodded. “It’s something else, isn’t it? I call it ‘Truitt Estates.’ They have several houses back there. You must be staying in the main house?”

  “Monster, three-story, blue one?”

  “That’s the one,” he said, chuckling. “You like it?”

  I shrugged. “What’s not to like?”

  “Not a damn thing,” he said, laughing. “Look. While you’re here . . . there’s something I need to talk to you about. You have a birthday coming up, and—”

  He started coughing, and Veta grasped his hand. “You okay, Robert?”

  He nodded.

  “I’m not worried about my birthday, Dad. And neither should you be. We just need to get you treated as aggressively as possible to kick this thing’s ass.”

  “We’ll talk about it later,” Veta said to my dad. “Carter, I’ll call you after we’re home from the oncologist appointment. Maybe you and your lady friend can come over for a nice, homecooked meal?”

  I glanced at Pops. He didn’t look too well. “We’ll see. I don’t want to put any strain on either of you. But I appreciate the offer, Veta.”

  Dad started to doze off again.

  “Take good care of him, okay?” I said quietly. I wrapped Veta in a hug and held her so long I was no longer sure who was holding whom up. All I knew was I needed to get out of there. Go to the one place where I felt most at home on the island.

  IT WAS DARK by the time I pulled into Dex’s driveway, and I felt guilty as hell. I hadn’t called Presley all day. The afternoon had gotten away from me once I got on my board. The waves lulled away the deep ache in my chest, helping me forget about everything else for a few hours.

  The downstairs lights were off, so I left them that way. Just because I couldn’t sleep didn’t mean Presley shouldn’t. Instead, I grabbed a couple beers and headed outside. Even though I’d been in the water for hours, my muscles were sore, and my mind was wide awake. A dip in the hot tub under the stars before bed might be just the medicine I needed.

  When I rounded the corner, I inhaled sharply. Presley was there, leaning back against the hot tub’s edge, her body mostly submerged. But the bubbles weren’t enough to hide her glorious breasts that peeked above the surface in a tiny yellow bikini top. Her hair was wet, hanging in long ropes over her shoulders. Her eyes were closed, and her face was relaxed, giving me pause as to whether or not I should join her.

  “You going to stare all night or come join me?” she asked quietly, never opening her eyes.

  “Sorry, you just looked so peaceful. I didn’t want to disturb you.”

  “I’d love the company, Carter. It’s been a long day.”

  Oh, right. I’d left her alone—all fucking day long. What a gentleman I was proving to be. “Pres, I’m really sorry.”

  “Relax, Carter. You don’t owe me an explanation. I’m just here tagging along for business, right? You’re here taking care of your dad. It’s not like we’re dating or anything.”

  Right. I swallowed, still unsure if I should join her.

  “How is he?” she asked, finally opening her eyes to look at me. I couldn’t help but notice the tiny beads of sweat that trailed down her face and between her breasts. My dad was the last thing I wanted to think about. All I could think of now was burying myself inside Presley and having her kiss away all my pain.

  I offered her one of the beers and climbed in beside her, watching as she gratefully took a sip from the bottle. “It’s kind of hard to think about my dad when I’m watching that sexy as fuck mouth of yours,” I said. I knew I was being a prick. I needed to ask her about her day. Open up about my dad. She knew him and was concerned in her own right, after all.

  But all I could think about was sliding inside her.

  She swallowed, understanding the feral look brewing in my eyes. She licked her lips, then nodded ever so slightly, giving me the okay. I took a long pull from my beer before setting it into a cupholder outside the water. She was so fucking beautiful I could hardly breathe.

  “Presley,” I growled, standing over her, “I’ve been an ass today. You sure this is what you want?”

  I had one hand beside her head, the other one already dipping below the water. I found the hem of her bikini bottom and traced my fingers along it, brushing her inner thigh. She bit her bottom lip, and I had no choice. I was a weak man.

  My mouth crashed down on hers, drinking in the taste of her beer, and the chlorinated smell of the water. Her mouth parted easily, giving me access that I didn’t know I deserved. But I swallowed greedily, lashing her tongue with my own. There was nothing gentle about this. I needed her to be the one to shut this down. I felt out of control. Damaged. And I didn’t want to hurt Presley, but I couldn’t get enough of her.

  When she reached for my cock and rubbed me through my board shorts, I knew there was no turning back. “Is that what you want, princess?”

  Her moan against my mouth confirmed she was just as turned on as I was. I didn’t have to check. I knew she would be ready. I undid the strings on her bikini bottom and slid my hand between her legs, cupping her hot sex. She lifted her hips to me—giving me access and permission. I slid two fingers deep inside her and felt her gasp against my mouth. She bit my lower lip hard, and my animalistic side took over. “Fuck, Presley. Be careful.”

  “I trust you, Carter.”

  “Maybe you shouldn’t,” I said, sliding my fingers back and forth. She squirmed beneath my hand, her mouth parting as her eyes closed and her head fell back.

  Her legs started to shake around my hand, but I didn’t let her finish. I lifted her hips up out of the water and heard her gasp as she gripped the sides of the hot tub just in time. I brought my hungry mouth down to her wet pussy and buried my face there, feeling peace for the first time all day. I trailed my tongue up her hot center, then went to work on her clit. Her legs were over my shoulders, and I could feel her thighs shake against my head. It was hot as fuck, and I was just getting started.

  I wrapped my arm around her thigh, so I could work her clit with my thumb while I licked her clean.

  “Fuck! Carter,” she cried out. Her hips bucked against my mouth, and I knew she was close. I reversed my hand and mouth position, this time sliding my fingers back inside her slick opening while sucking down hard on her clit. Her scream of pleasure ripped through me, just as the walls of her sex clamped around my fingers. Her body started to shake, so I palmed her lower stomach with my other hand and let her orgasm flood over her.

  I didn’t give her time to recover before I set her hips down and flipped her over. “Tru
st me still, princess?”

  She nodded, bracing herself on the side of the hot tub. I ran my fingers between her cheeks and up her wet slit. My cock throbbed in my hands. I didn’t have a condom, but I would pull out in time. I pressed my thick head to her opening, closing my eyes as I pushed my way inside. She pressed her hips back for more, before I was even all the way in.

  I smacked her backside and heard her moan as I drove in as deeply as I could. Good god, she was tight. I gripped her hips and closed my eyes, relishing in the warmth of Presley wrapped around me and the building tension in my balls. Everything was on fire, and I just pounded into her, taking, taking, taking until I couldn’t anymore. She was matching me thrust for thrust, and I nearly lost my fucking mind. I grabbed her hair into a ponytail and tugged, eliciting a moan as I thrust my hips even faster. I was so close.

  “Fuck, Presley!” I pulled out at the last second, releasing warm torrents onto her back. She groaned, collapsing against the wall of the hot tub as I squeezed my cock dry. I ran my hand over the narrow of her back, in awe of this woman who had given her whole self to me physically over the last week. I definitely didn’t deserve her.

  I let go, grabbing my beer and sitting back in the large bucket seat. I watched as Presley sank into the water, dipping her head back to rewet her hair. The smile on her lips surprised me when her eyes finally met mine. She winked, grabbing her own beer and settling into the seat next to mine.

  “Did that help?” she asked.

  “Jesus, P,” I said, glancing at her from the corner of my eyes. “I’m sorry. That was too rough, wasn’t it?”

  She laughed, shaking her head. “Honestly, Carter? It was really hot. I would never do anything I wasn’t comfortable with. Trust me. I’ve been down that road before, and I’ll never let that happen again.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” I said, my fist gripping my bottle at the thought of anyone pushing Presley too far. “College?”

  She sighed. “No, actually. It was my first real boss, the one at the paper I was interning for.”