by Shel Stone
Tristan felt his annoyance and anger surge. “That’s ridiculous. Anyone who knew the man knows quite clearly that no one had undue influence over my father. It wouldn’t be something he’d permit. I had no input into the will whatsoever.”
“Irrespective, it is what we can prove.”
“Then she can prove that I did.”
“Unfortunately, the unusual nature of the will can work against us in this case. It is likely that her legal team will question if such a disadvantageous will could have been devised for any other purpose.”
Tristan had to admit it was genius. Their father’s vicious cantankerousness was being used as a weapon to serve Percy. “Right,” he finally said. “What are our defences?”
There was no softly, softly approach coming from Percy. This was a declaration of war, and if she could get away with it, she’d cut him out of the inheritance entirely. On some level, he hadn’t seen this coming, but maybe he should have.
“I think we must first discuss our objective before we explore defences. Not only defences, but we have offensive options too. We don’t need to let her determine the battleground.”
“No,” Tristan agreed. “In terms of objectives. In light of all this, I want Percy to receive as little of the inheritance as possible.”
“It is an objective we can work with,” the lawyer said with a smile. The best lawyers always loved a good fight, and now they would see which of them had the most vicious team.
Chapter 50
“I FEEL LIKE I HAVEN'T SEEN you in ages," Cheyenne said as Samara sat down by one of the tables beside the Athletics Club tennis courts.
“How was New York?” Samara asked.
“Dirty, hectic and messy. I used to love going to New York. These days I find it a bit trying.”
“Probably because there’s nothing you need from there.”
“I suppose that’s true. How are things going with the new romance? You’ve told us practically nothing, but it’s a small town. News travels.”
Samara smiled and shrugged. “It’s very new.” Truth was that she liked him a great deal, but she also had concerns in the back of her mind due to Persephone’s perceptions of her brother and the wisdom of the relationship. The last thing Samara wanted was another messy relationship. “We will see how things go.”
“As long as the sex is good,” Cheyenne continued as if it was the last thing she would say on the matter. Such topics were more open for Cheyenne than they were for Samara, who knew quite a bit about what Klaus was like in bed, and apparently, he didn’t disappoint. The relationship would never have lasted if he did. It was important to Cheyenne.
To Samara being wanted was probably more important than the actual sex, but maybe her experiences had swayed her that way. Because it was an awful feeling when one knew one wasn’t wanted by the one who was supposed to love and care for you. It was a heavy blow.
“Good, I’m not too late,” Persephone said, twirling her tennis racquet as she approached. “I was worried everyone was waiting for me, but it turns out we’re all waiting for Viola. That’s a relief.” She kissed both of them on the cheek and sat down. “The cheek of her to turn up late,” Persephone said with a wink.
“How are you?” Cheyenne asked. “Still stuck here?”
“For the foreseeable future. I curse my father every day for what he’s done. And my vicious raptor of a brother.”
Those kind of statements were just deeply disconcerting. If one’s own sister saw one as a vicious raptor, then what went on when the mask of civility came off? People put their best foot forward at the start of relationships, and none more so than men. Especially men who wanted to impress.
And Persephone’s perceptions of her brother was so different from what Samara saw, but she had to concede that Persephone knew him so much better. Saying that, as far as she’d seen, Tristan was polite and considerate. He didn’t abuse people, or treat them like they were beneath him. But how much of that was a mask he wore?
“The battle for the estate is heating up then?” Cheyenne asked.
“It was never going to do anything but. Unfortunately we are in it for the long haul, but we were always going to be.” Persephone looked bored for a moment. “He’s my brother and I love him, but I don’t like him. He has a vicious streak as strong as my father’s when it suits him, and he’s used to getting what he wants. if he can’t get it one way, he’ll get it another.” Persephone watched Samara as she spoke, showing quite clearly that the message was for her. “Anyone who can should stay away from this debacle. Myself, I have to fight for myself and my sister. Otherwise he’ll take everything. Tristan doesn’t share. I think I might find the powder room while we wait.” Persephone rose and walked away.
“She’s made it clear she wouldn’t be supportive of this relationship,” Samara said to Cheyenne. “Perhaps not outright, but she has warned me against it.”
Cheyenne chewed the inside of her cheek. “Well, be careful when listening to the opinions of someone’s enemy.”
“It’s his sister. She knows him so much better than I do.”
“They’re still very much in a battle. You were in one yourself not so long ago. Some people will do anything to undermine their opponent, even if they’re family members. And let’s not forget the stakes. It’s one of the largest fortunes on the continent. Fights get ugly.”
Samara didn’t know what to believe. Cheyenne’s warning rang true, but Samara also knew what kind of characters were as successful as Tristan was. It took a certain ruthlessness. And when it came to ruthlessness, it was a trait that spilled over into everything.
Maybe getting involved with this man was a massive mistake.
“I’m so sorry I’m late. Traffic was horrendous. Suddenly it feels like there’s roadworks everywhere. What did I miss?”
“Persephone just whacked a great big dagger in her brother’s back,” Cheyenne said.
“Oh, right. She’s here, then.”
Curiously, Viola didn’t seem surprised by this. “You don’t like her?”
“Of course I like her. I just wouldn’t want to be her enemy. That whole family is unyielding. I think it’s even part of the family motto. Smite all enemies, or something like that. And Joseph Barensteen—well, his character wasn’t exactly unknown. Children he’s raised wouldn’t exactly be... Let’s say, they’re not a family known for their clemency. But she is charming, as long as you make sure you’re not at odds with her.”
In some ways, this was all sounding very familiar. Even Hassan could be extremely charming when it suited him. It was just rare he felt the need to be.
Samara exchanged looks with Cheyenne. “Make your own assessment,” was all Cheyenne said.
“About what?” Viola asked.
“About people, darling,” Cheyenne said and clapped her thigh. “Let’s warm up now that you’ve joined us.”
Chapter 51
RICKY WATCHED AS SOLRAYA started getting ready for some party Adelaide had scored invitations to—some society thing that happened every year. The invitation hadn’t specifically been extended to him, and they hadn’t discussed it.
It irked him that it didn’t occur to her to want him there. As far as he could tell, Solraya hadn’t even enquired if he could come.
“What does this relationship mean to you?” he asked as she pulled on a dress, which seemed to fit so naturally on her. Effortlessly chic. She made everything look cool. In fact, everything with her seemed effortless. Certainly didn’t take much effort to fall into bed with her.
Saying that, it seemed to take some effort to stay in her space.
“What relationship?” she asked. There was no nastiness in her voice, just confusion.
“Us,” Ricky said, trying to hide his annoyance. “You and me.”
“You know the situation I’m in,” she said, putting in earrings in the mirror. “I can’t stick around, and in a few months, I’m going to be busy with a bub. Still freaks me out to say it. Diapers and bat
hs, and all that stuff. Playgroups. Do they do playgroups for babies? There is so much stuff I don’t know.”
Yep, he stayed at the top of her mind for a fleeting minute at most. Granted she hadn’t promised him anything. Not a damned thing. Even a ‘let’s stay in touch.’ Meanwhile, he was wondering if he could tolerate moving to Australia—something he was pretty sure hadn’t occurred to her.
It seemed the conversation about what this relationship meant was over before it’d started. He was the fuck-boy. A claim he’d prided himself on for a long time, along with the relief that a girl didn’t want anything more than that.
Now the shoe was entirely on the other foot. He was the one pining for deep and meaningful, and it just wasn’t on offer.
“Maybe I need to be with someone who wants to invest a bit more,” he said, sitting up in bed, the place where she’d left him a few minutes before.
Solraya turned around and looked at him. “You’ve got to do what you need to do.”
This was how a breakup talk started, and she was just going with the flow. No fight at all. This was usually his spiel and now he had to deal with being the one receiving it. Indifference. Like with him, there was no malice in it, it just was. Solraya didn’t have the interest or time to deal with him other than a roll in the hay.
It sucked to achieve what you wanted, but it still being out of reach. She was right there. He could wrap his arms around her, but she was as distant as ever.
Could he just shake her and demand that she see him?
“You knew what you were getting yourself into,” she said as if this whole conversation confused her. “You knew how things were from the start.”
Except, he’d firmly believed that she’d come around. That being with him would make her see how things should be.
“What’s this about?” she asked.
How could she not know? “I just want to be more than someone’s fuck,” he said, letting his frustration air.
“Then be a bit smarter in who you pick. I’m leaving town soon.”
As far as he knew, there was no set date on that departure.
Her name was being called from downstairs. “I have to go,” she said. “I’ll see you later okay. We can talk if you want to.”
If he wanted to, he thought resentfully as he watched Solraya walk out. All the girls were going and he was left behind in their house. It hadn’t exactly been planned, him coming around.
It could be that he could swing an invitation through Aggie, but he wanted Solraya to invite him, at least to try. Instead, she was more interested in having a girls’ night.
The house was quiet when he got up and dressed. Nothing to do really but to head to the gym. Or maybe he should go hang with Corey and those guys, as they had been left behind by the girls as well. They were cool about him hanging with them, but he was always a guest more than part of the group.
In a way, he wanted to talk this over with Aggie, but she was on her way to that party too. She would probably suggest that he walk away from the relationship. Aggie was pragmatic that way. The relationship didn’t fit so move on, but he didn’t want to move on. He wanted to make things between him and Solraya fit, because he knew they could. He knew it in a way he’d never known it before, and if he just let her fly out of here, then that opportunity would go with her.
What if he never got over it?
Aggie would roll her eyes, but he was serious. Solraya was the one he wanted to be with. Getting her to see him that way was proving to be more of a problem.
So what should he do about it? He could be grumpy and resentful like he just had been, which was probably doing wonders for his cause. That strategy had been the one that had used to make him gag when dealing with a girl. So he needed to show a bit of class, and a bit more grit. Needed to refuse to give up until the bitter end. What choice was there, really? Give up or go for it.
This all made him return to the question he’d been grappling with since the moment he’d clapped eyes on her. How the hell could he impress Solraya? He had no clue. Impressing girls wasn’t really so hard, sex appeal. He’d already played that card, and it wasn’t going to get him any further.
Chapter 52
ESME’S COOKING SKILLS DIDN’T stretch to dinner, so Maria had come and cooked them pasta. It smelled beautifully when it came out. A bottle of red sat open and breathing on the table. It was so quiet, the garden dimly lit up around them, the pool like a blue beacon in the darkness.
How was it that she saw her house so differently just because Inns was there? Maybe because she was trying to see it from his eyes, trying to understand how he saw her.
Taking the bottle, she poured the wine into their glasses, and then considered the creamy pasta. “Maria’s a fantastic cook,” Esme said with a smile as Inns started on his plate. By the look of him, he enjoyed it. Esme almost felt a little too nervous to start, but she was also hungry.
“How often are you here alone?”
“Most of the time. Felix has an apartment with Shania. Dad’s either off traveling somewhere, or with his girlfriend. She lives out of town a bit.”
“Must get lonely only being you here.”
Yes, she wanted to say. “It’s alright. I like the peace. If I want to go out, I go out.” Which she hadn’t done enough of lately. She’d been cloistered here like a hermit, but no point delving into those details.
The pasta was delicious and her hunger took over as she started eating. It didn’t take long for her to finish. It didn’t take much for her to feel full these days. Inns was clearly hungry because he finished everything on his plate.
Taking his wine glass, he leaned back, seemingly sated.
“I didn’t ask for dessert,” she admitted. It hadn’t even occurred to her because she never ate any herself. Maria would have left after dinner.
“That’s alright,” he said. There was an awkward silence for a moment. “I do like this time of night.” Looking up, he noted the stars. It was a clear night.
There was definitely an energy, Esme admitted. She felt it. Inns felt it too, but what his intentions were right now, she didn’t know.
“The respite from a hot day.” Taking her glass, Esme rose and walked into the dark garden, and looked up at the stars. “I truly don’t understand how you can’t like it here. Especially with evenings like this.”
“It’s obviously been too long since you’ve spent a lovely summer’s evening at home.”
That was true. “What do you like to do on summer’s evenings?” She walked over to the pool and sunk her feet down onto the first step of the submerged stairs.
“I don’t know. A few drinks at the pub, the garden bar. Wander home through the woods. I love the woods in summer when the sun sets late. Bennington is nice in summer,” he said with a smile. “There’s a certain smell in the air when the barley’s high. Everyone’s relaxed. The ewes have their lambs, the foals staggering around. I love the lazy peacefulness of it. Then again, I love the autumn too. Winter in the city, or further afield, if one must. It’s where I belong.”
Biting her lip, Esme listened.
“Of course I’m always sent away,” he continued, joining her as she sat at the edge of the pool. “And that’s still the case. Go work somewhere. Problem is, I don’t really like London that much. Too busy.”
“So if you have to be away, you might as well stay here,” she said.
“There is nothing for me here.” That kind of stung. “I’m not saying it isn’t a nice place for holidays,” which was an upgrade from how he’d used to see it, “but I can’t put myself on permanent holiday. There is nothing for me here—besides you. Because let’s face it, this place is about you for me.”
Unable to help herself, she leaned over and kissed him. The taste of him so familiar, and it lulled every one of her senses. It felt as though she’d been holding her breath for this kiss all day. It moved slowly, exploring at leisure. The kiss broke and she exhaled deeply.
“And here I am again
. I can’t seem to be around you and not be with you. You should tell me to scarper.”
She kissed him again, feeling heat flare deeper in her body. “I don’t want you to leave.”
Her hand on his waist, she felt the solidness of him. Wanting him had never been a problem between them, and it was certainly there now. Her whole body was tense with anticipation and her hands itched for more, but held herself back before she gave into overwhelming eagerness. The last thing she wanted was to place herself in the position where he pushed her away again. He needed to come to her this time.
That didn’t mean she had to make it easy for him. Moving off her perch, she slipped into the cool water of the pool, hearing the bubbles as she submerged herself in the water. That was one way to cool down. It wasn’t working.
Rising she stood again and faced him. His eyes were on the tightness of her clothes. “If you want me, you’re going to come in here with me.”
Inns had that murderous look he sometimes had, as if she was making him do things he didn’t want to do. “I’ve never not wanted you,” he said and submerged his feet. A thrill shot through her body, because he was coming to her.
Submerging herself, she drew her shirt over her head, leaving her bare. Her nipples were so hard they hurt, aching for him to touch her. The coolness of the pool couldn’t compete with the heat between her legs.
“Come here,” he said and she did, placing herself between his thighs as he sat at the edge of the pool. With his hand at the back of her neck, he kissed her, her body wetting his shirt, and the material of his trousers. His lips met hers, his tongue stroking. It felt so good, so right.
Drawing out of the kiss, she slipped backwards again, drew her shorts off her until she was utterly naked in the pool. Her body had the eerie blue shine of the pool lights. “You’re going to have to come in,” she said with a smile.
