Splash

by Kristen Kelly

  “What do you want, Jake?”

  “Why to see my baby girl, of course. Well, There’s that and one other reason.”

  “Which is?”

  He looked around again. “Is there somewhere we can go to talk in private? I assume you don’t want to air all our dirty laundry out here in the open.”

  He had a point.

  I let out a strangled breath. While I had no intention of spending any length of time with the man who abused me as a child, what choice did I have? “Yeah, Room 256. It’s where I’m staying.”

  “Perfect.” He smiled while making a lame attempt to move some hair from my temple.

  I flinched, glaring through his touch.

  “Damn,” he said, sweat pouring off his brow. “I’m fucking roasting out here. Think I’ll just get a scotch at the bar and then meet you up there.”

  “Fine,” I said curtly. I threw my suntan lotion and book in my bag, threw it over my shoulder and grabbed my towel. I draped it over my shoulders and stomped off. If anyone needed a drink around here it was me, but I didn’t need ‘stinking drunk’ added to my mistakes around Jake.

  Ten minutes later, there was a knock at my door. Knowing I would probably regret this, I opened it and Jake stepped inside grinning.

  I had to admit, seeing him without the sun glaring in my eyes, was like seeing him for the first time. I was right about the teeth. They looked new, and the rich grey suit he was wearing made him look less the monster that I knew him to be. Thoughts of bank robbery, stolen jewels, and all sorts of other nefarious dealings swirled inside my head.

  I backed up from the door, arms crossed, steeling my resolve as I looked at him. “What do you want, Jake?”

  “How about…” He reached out a hand, stepping toward me and then seeing my shocked and angry expression thought better of it. “Not even for old times’ sake?”

  “Not on your fucking life!”

  He shrugged, the grin widening.

  “You make me sick. You know that?”

  He shrugged as if it was of no consequence to him.

  “Get to the fucking point about why you’re here, and then get the hell out of my room.”

  “All right. I need money.”

  I laughed. “What makes you think I have any?”

  “Bear with me. This place may be coming up for sale and I want to buy it.”

  “So.”

  “So we both know it’s the grandmother that calls the shots, little girl. Not this Damon Donovan character.”

  “He’s not a character. You don’t know anything about him.”

  “And what would you know? Wait. You’re fucking this guy, aren’t you?” His evil grin widened. “Yeah. Yeah, I thought as much. It’s written all over your face. Oh wow, this is getting better and better.” He patted the bed. “May I?” Without waiting for an answer, he bounced up and down a little, stretched his body out on the length of it, arms behind his head. “I think you should be nice to daddy. Put in a good word to the old lady.”

  I crossed my arms. “I think you underestimate my influence with Mrs. Delaney.”

  He frowned. “Doesn’t matter. You’ll find a way. I have complete confidence in you, Lizzy girl.”

  “Why the hell would I want to help you? And don’t call me that!”

  “Awe, Lizzy. Don’t be that way.”

  “What way? Strong? I’m not a little girl anymore, Jake and I can say no. Even to you.”

  “And family means nothing? I need your help, Liz.”

  “Huh! Family? You’re not my family. All you ever did was use me to get what you wanted. Real families care for each other. They cherish each other and want what’s best for them. The only thing you ever cherished was the inside of a bottle or worse.” I took a deep breath. “How the hell did you get so much money anyway, and why would you even want this place? It’s for high class executives. It’s not exactly your…style.”

  His eyes narrowed as he crossed his ankles. “That is not your concern. The only thing I need from you is to…”

  “No. I…” Before I could finish my thought, he’d shot to his feet and grabbed me by the arm. “Hey! You’re hurting…”

  “Listen, you little brat, I’ve come a long way to be nice to your pretty ass, but I can be a badass just as easily. You want to play hard ball? You want to test me? Just try it, Liz. Try your ole dad and see how far you get.”

  “You’re not my…”

  “What? Not your father? Like hell I’m not. Who the fuck do you think carried you to safety the night your Ma swallowed all those pills? Who the fuck do you think saved your ungrateful ass? Fed you and clothed you. Put a roof over that head. Me! That’s who. And I don’t appreciate you treating me like I’m some kind of dog shit you can scrape off your shoe, any time you like.”

  I stared him down, gritting my teeth. I wasn’t afraid of him. Not anymore. That’s what ten thousand dollars of therapy and a wonderful brother can do for a girl. “What are you going to do to me, Jake? Kill me? Now let the fuck go of my arm.” He did, and then went to stand by the window, looking down on the pool before turning back to me.

  “Perhaps.” My eyes went wide and my mouth dropped open. Okay, maybe I was a little bit afraid.

  “Actually, I was thinking of having a little talk with your boy toy there. Let him in on a little family history? I can see by your face you haven’t told him about yourself, have you, Lizzy?”

  I hadn’t. What was the point? The past is just that. The past.

  “Does he know that you’ve had so many men you could open your own brothel? Does he know you seduced me? Me! Your own father!”

  “Stepfather.”

  “Whatever.”

  He was right about me, and I wasn’t proud of it, but there was a time in my mixed up teenage years when I’d do anything just to have someone show me a little affection. Where men were concerned, that usually meant sex.

  He shifted, as if his jacket was too tight. “Hmm, love is blind they say. Maybe he won’t care about that, but most men would want to know if the woman they’re with has a few screws loose, don’t you think? Have you told him you tried to kill yourself three times?”

  My heart slammed against my ribs and my knees started to shake.

  I had one crazy woman in my life. That was enough.

  “What do you want me to do?”

  He smiled broadly and nodded. “Just use your feminine wiles. That’s all I ask. You do know how to do that, Lizzy. After all, you had lots of practice.”

  I sighed, not quite believing what I was about to say.“Fine! I’ll see what I can do. No promises. Now get the hell out of my room and stay away from me.”

  “What? No goodbye kiss for daddy?” He opened his arms as if to pull me into an embrace, but let his arm drop to his side when he saw it wasn’t happening.

  “I see how it is. Still haven’t forgiven me huh? That’s okay. You’ll come around.”

  Chapter

  DAMON

  I never thought of my grandmother as subtle, but as I walked into the boardroom, a horrible thought slashed through my conscience. She was sick. Really sick. How had I not seen it? Was I that obtuse?

  Delia smiled at me, but it was as if the curve of her lips pained her to do so. This was not the woman I knew. The woman who raised me and my sister to be strong, kick-ass, bold, proud individuals because she raised us in her image. She taught us to trust no one. Make the most out of life, and cherish each day to the fullest. The woman I used as a measure for every other woman my life. That was Delilah Delaney sitting there at the head of the table…but not my Delia.

  The first thing I noticed was her skin. How pale and fragile it appeared. Pasty and dull with bursting capillaries all up and down her arms. She’d never had skin like that. Not even at her age.

  Ever since Penelope and I were children, my grandmother had been full of life—overflowing with so much zest I had to remind myself how old she was. Her face always glowed and she always wore makeup. Rich vibrant
makeup—in tones so colorful she reminded me of a peacock and most recently long freaking eye lashes. Like the women on Fox news. When I was a boy, I thought she’d been born that way. But today… Today, she still had her makeup, but something was definitely off. The hair on her head appeared thinner, her eyes a little vacant, and one of her hands was trembling. Noticing me looking, she covered it with the other, and then quickly slipped it below the board table.

  As I took a seat beside my sister and scanned the other board members, I did a double take.

  Two new people I’d never seen at a meeting were in the room. A man I didn’t know and Elizabeth.

  Seeing Elizabeth perked me up. I gave her a conspiratorial wink and she grinned, but it didn’t quite meet her eyes. Although curious, I’d recently seen her talking to my grandmother and it wasn’t unusual for Delia to invite someone to a meeting on a whim, whether they belonged here or not.

  Delia took a long drink from a water bottle, and then pounded on the table with a wooden gavel. “I’ve called this meeting for two very important reasons. I don’t have much time so I’ll get right to the point.” She coughed a few times and then nodded at Tabitha who turned to me with a knowing look, wearing a lime green linen suit. The Mini Me of Delia.

  “I’ve decided that Tabby’s idea has merit and we’ve already started construction.” I frowned. Although this was old news, and I actually loved the idea, it would have been nice if I’d been consulted.

  “But that doesn’t mean I’ve made up my mind,” Delia continued. “In fact, I’ve had several offers from the board members that are so generous I’ve had to reconsider.”

  I jumped from my seat, arms flailing. A jolt of adrenaline shot through my system. “D…! Mrs. Delaney! You can’t…”

  Delia patted the air. “Damon, sit! For god’s sake, don’t get your jock strap all in bunches. I didn’t say I was selling. Yet. I’m only considering my options right now.” She shuffled some papers on the table and started coughing all over them.

  Raw emotions ran helter skelter through my brain. Something was wrong. Delia loved the Club. It belonged to my grandfather who made it what it was today, and she said she’d never sell. She’d always told me she would pass it down to family, which is why I’d worked my fucking ass off so much. I did everything. The scheduling. Vetting the clients. Maintenance. Finance. Everything. Hell, I’d even scrubbed toilets once or twice. I’d already come to believe The Delaney Club was mine.

  I shot my sister a heated look. I’d been blown away when Delia told me about considering Tabitha as owner. Tabitha who lived in the city with her rich husband, with little more to do all day than get her hair and nails done, schedule massages around her charity work or ride horses whenever the thought struck her. What the hell did Tabitha know about running a business? She’d never even been interested in the until now. I sighed. I could work around my sister. But the investors…. How could she sell to a total stranger?

  Still coughing, Delia took a deep breath, her frail body shivering on the exhale. One of her companions stepped behind her, placed a shawl around her shoulders. He whispered something in her ear. Her face flushed, but she went on with the meeting. My heart skidded into place, giving me more perspective. Whether I took ownership of the Club wasn’t the only thing on my mind. I loved my grandmother more than any other woman in my life. She made me laugh. She made me proud, but most of all she made me the man I was today.

  Delia shifted in her seat, and then downed the last of her water.“As to my next announcement. As you all have noticed, I’m not well. And because I’m not in tip-top shape, I’ve decided to hire a trustee. This…person…will take control of the club’s finances in the event that I am incapacitated when I… Well, you know.” She bit her lip and began again. “At the reading of my will after my demise, you’ll know who this person is.”

  Tabitha didn’t look surprised as she glanced over at me. Did she know something I didn’t know?

  “This next part involves you, Damon.”

  Perfect. What other doozies did my grandmother have up her sleeve?

  “Damon, I know you weren’t happy about my stipulation that you should get married in order to claim your inheritance.

  Well, that was an understatement.

  “And to tell you the truth, given your past, I can’t say I blame you. Besides, even if you did decide to tie the knot, which by the way is the most wonderful arrangement in the word, Damon, who would you choose? We don’t want a repeat performance of your last relationship. Still, I know there is someone out there for you. I know you don’t believe me now, but you will want to get married some day. At least I hope you will. Still… it was unfair of me to make that rule. I see that now.”

  Some of the tension in my shoulders relaxed. Maybe this wasn’t all bad news.

  “So I’ve made an adjustment,” Delia continued.

  “Adjustment?” I stared at her suspiciously.

  “You no longer have to get married in two weeks. I’m giving you six months. Six months before…that is if you are the one I deed the club to, which of course you won’t know about until later.”

  “Christ, Delia! Who the hell…”

  “Damon!”

  “Sorry, Mrs. Delaney. But don’t you think it’s important that I know who this mystery man is. I am the manager of the Club.”

  “Oh, you’ll find out soon enough, but if you’ll let me continued... Assuming you will get married, the last thing in the world I want is for you to pick the first bimbo that comes along. To make sure that doesn’t happen I’ve already picked her out myself.” A little spark filled her eyes.

  Fuck! My fingers curled into fists.

  “Who?” Tabitha beat me to the punch this time.

  Delia looked from me to Tabitha, the seriousness of the situation and my life, etched upon her face. “You’ll both learn who that is, after I’ve left this earth.”

  I huffed, slumping back in my chair. She actually expected me to go along with her little matchmaking proposal?

  “Don’t you think I should get to know this mystery woman?”

  “Doesn’t matter. In fact, the woman doesn’t know even know it herself.”

  “You’re kidding.” I looked to the board members, helpless.

  “I never kid about business or money. You know that, Damon.”

  I did know that. I wish I didn’t. “So when are you going to let the two of us know?”

  “Weren’t you listening, Damon? After.”

  After what? After she was dead? The old lady is off her rocker. Now, I’m certain of it.

  “You gonna leave me a note or something in your will?”

  “Nope.”

  “Then how…”

  “I’ll send you a sign.”

  I stared at my sister, as if to say, ‘you hearing what I’m hearing?’ I was starting to think Tabitha wouldn’t be as bad an asset to the company as I’d first thought. She could stay in her warm cozy penthouse while I did all the work.

  “I’m leaving you a sign concerning the woman I think you should marry.”

  “From the…dead?” said Tabitha swallowing.

  “What sort of sign?” I wanted to know.

  “You’ll see.” I thought she glanced over at Elizabeth, but it could be the man beside her she was staring at. She didn’t say anything more for several minutes, enjoying this whole fiasco at my expense.

  My grandfather had been a shark when it came to business, and he loved a good challenge. It didn’t surprise me that Delia took after him. She’d made all these idiotic arrangements, and had the best lawyer in town draw up the necessary contracts tying it in knots. There would be no loopholes as far as my grandmother was concerned. She’d thought this through. Just thinking about it made my blood boil.

  I slammed an open hand on the board table, making a water bottle topple over.

  “This is ridiculous! Why can’t you just tell me for Pete’s sake? Why all this goddamned secrecy? Have I not proven myself over the ye
ars? Why the hell did you groom me to take over, just so you can snatch it up and hand it over to Tabby or worse—some goddamned investor!” I glared at the guy beside Elizabeth. “And who the hell are you, by the way? Never mind. I don’t fucking care!” I turned back to my grandmother. “And I am not…I repeat, not—marrying a perfect stranger, no matter what it says in those papers!”

  “Damn it, boy! Sit the fuck down. I swear you are trying what little patience and energy I have these days. You’re stubborn and opinionated just like your grand dad. If you don’t start making some changes in your life, seeing what’s right before… ” She went into another coughing fit, but this time a sharp wheeze echoed from her chest. She pitched forward.