by Lee, Kimball
He looked away from her but his hand reached across the table and held hers. “What will we do Charlotte? How can we untangle this web without hurting our little boy?”
“I’ll take you to him, he’s so amazing, Bly. He’s you and he’s me… and like it or not, he’s Finn. I grew up amidst so many obstacles, I was illegitimate and poor in a small southern town. It was bad enough when my mother was alive, then she died and her family gave me away. You have no idea how bad it got when I was passed from one foster home to the next. No one had noticed me before, I was too tall and too skinny, all sharp angles. Girls my age bleached their hair and had cute small noses and suntans. I had this black hair down to my bony ass and my mother wouldn’t let me out of the house without a gallon of sunscreen. The summer she died I went through puberty and filled out in certain places,” she looked at him and blushed and his eyes drank her in as he imagined Charlotte, so young and beautiful and innocent… and so alone. “Anyway, I wanted to raise a family in a real mommy and daddy household, I…”
“Charlotte, I told you long ago I wanted to have babies with you, I asked how many children you wanted. I promised you we would fill my big empty house with children, why did you refuse to hear me?” he asked, and his fist came down hard on the table he was so desperate to know her answer.
“You and I together are too much, too strong, too controlling, Bly. I was afraid I would disappear into you and you would send our children away to school in some foreign country. Which is exactly what you’ve done with the twins. After I realized Atticus was yours, those twins were already on the way and I knew you would make a difference. You would put our son before them, and that wouldn’t be fair,” tears streaked down her face as she spoke, as the realization came to her that their lives really could have been a paradise.
“Charlotte, for the love of God, I would never have sent our children away. Every day that I’m away from you is painful to me. You and I together was my only chance for a normal life. I’ve tried to love other women, but it’s no use, I belonged to you from the first moment I met you. If I could change it, I suppose I would, God knows I’ve tried,” he said and he stood and led her back to the bedroom.
“Bly,” she said, settling onto the exquisite bed, “I’ve made mistakes and questionable choices, and yes, I have regrets. There is no map for all the hidden places in the human heart. Maybe I haven’t done a very good job of navigating all the twist and turns. My own heart has betrayed me more than it will ever betray the ones I love. I’m the one who’ll pay whatever price the world exacts for the choices I’ve made and the feelings I’ve felt. There will be a reckoning someday, I’m certain of that. A ransom that only I will owe to offset the joy and sadness for having loved too many, and too much.” She shrugged out of the bathrobe she was wearing, slid under the covers and pulled them up to her chin.
Bly gazed down at her, filling his mind with the sight of Charlotte in his bed. The long black hair spilling across the pillow, her beautiful sapphire eyes were full of sorrow and remorse. She was an ache he couldn’t and didn’t want to overcome. His eyes softened and he said, “It’s impossible for me to see you in bed and not make love to you, and I intend to do just that, but you need to understand something first. I will do what’s best for our son, he won’t be hurt by our mistakes. I want to raise him and I want you to divorce Finn and marry me, as it should always have been. I’ve never forced you to be with me, I see now that I should have, but my love for you binds my better judgment. I need to tell you how it is in my world, and how it will be for Atticus, so please pay attention. The Bly Corporation was created in 1883 by my grandfather and inherited by my father, the first Holden Bly, when he was thirty years old. My father formed an irrevocable trust that will last for three generations, whereby control of the company and its assets pass from father to first born son. My father died before I was thirty so I took control while I was still in my twenties. If I live a long life, I’ll retire and my son will replace me when he turns thirty. As with Amanda, all subsequent heirs will benefit from a private trust, but the sole heir to billions of dollars in holdings go to my first born son. He can’t give it away, he could be deemed mentally unfit, but that’s not going to happen. I won’t take a little boy away from the life he knows if that’s not what he wants, but Atticus will inherit one of the largest corporations in the world when he turns thirty.”
“And if he doesn’t want it, what then?” Charlotte asked, sitting up to put her arms around Bly. It all sounded so complicated, and not at all like something she wanted her son to be saddled with for life.
He threw the bed clothes back and pulled her up and against him, his hands rested on the small of her back and the feel and smell of Charlotte made any rational thought difficult. His mouth covered hers and he moved his hands to her breasts and looked into her eyes. “Charlotte, whatever you decide to do about us I’ll go along with, although you are not shutting me out again. One thing I will never waiver on, even for you, is that Atticus is my legal heir. He decides what will make his childhood a happy one, if he can’t be happy unless Finn raises him, so be it. I want to know him and be available to him, I want him to know I’m his father when we all decide that he’s ready. He will take over Bly Inc. when he’s thirty, it’s his destiny and his birthright, and it’s profoundly unchangeable.”
So that was it, she thought, Atticus might want to be a sailor or an astronaut or a civil rights attorney. He was a headstrong child, like her and like Bly, he would want to choose his own way in life. What he was going to be was a billionaire many times over. He would inherit the good and also the bad. It would mean carrying the heavy burden of power and always questioning who he could trust. He would be faced with false friends with selfish motives and he would never again be without a body guard. Perhaps worst of all, he would be set above a half brother and sister who would resent him for the rest of his life.
“Come to bed now,” she said, pulling him down and letting her hands revel in the feel of his muscled shoulders and chest. She moved lower so that the rippled bands of his stomach tightened and a moan escaped his lips as her hand circled his erection. “I need this now,” she whispered, “I need you to make me forget all about what might have been.”
Chapter Three
“What would you like to do today, other than what we just did? Which was highly satisfying for me and I hope you it wasn’t too bad for you,” Bly said as he and Charlotte were drying off after they had showered together.
“Well, it was nice enough, but I’m afraid I might have tile imprints on my back since someone slammed me against the wall mercilessly,” she said and a look of pain crossed his face. “I’m kidding Bly, it was a highly enjoyable shower. After all I wrapped my legs around your waist and clung to your shoulders and made sure your lips never left mine. I also had two explosive orgasms, so let’s not worry about a few tile marks.”
He crushed her against him and buried his face in her smooth, fragrant neck. “If you keep talking about it we’ll need to do it again. You have the most arousing effect on me.”
She smiled and her hand instinctively went to his stiffening cock, she stroked it and had the overwhelming desire to sink to her knees and take it in her mouth. She rubbed her thumb across the big, velvety head and brushed the drops of fluid away, then placed the pad of her thumb on her lips and licked.
“Stop now, Charlotte, I’m nearly as sore as you are. We’ve been playing catch up for all the years we lost, let’s give it a rest for at least an hour or two.”
“Okay, but you certainly taste good,” she said and his cock twitched in her hand. “I’ll have this for desert, let’s go have lunch then I have a return to make.”
“A return?” he asked as she released him and he slipped into boxer briefs. He saw her smile as he struggled to corral his massive erection in the underwear and he shook his head and said, “What you do to me, Charlotte, you’re shameless. What do you need to return?”
“About a dozen pieces of Lo
uis Vuitton luggage. I’m afraid I made a fool of myself the other day when I ran into your former squeeze. She was a royal bitch and I stupidly spent more money than I should have just to shut her up.”
“Good for you, she needs someone to shut that acid tongued mouth of hers. By the way, she was never my ‘squeeze’, just someone I spent a couple of very forgettable hours with ten years ago. You certainly didn’t need to impress her and believe me, she is still impressed by you to this day. I took my mother in to buy new luggage for her birthday, in fact it must have been the same day you were there. Sylvie asked about you right away, she wanted know if I was over you, what had become of you, and so on. She’s jealous and messed up. Do you have your receipt?”
“Yes, of course,” Charlotte said, slipping into a short wrap dress and tying at her waist.
“Give it to me please, I’ll take care of it,” he said, he was shaving and he nicked his chin when he saw the look on her face. “What, why are you looking at me like that?”
“Why do you want the receipt, what are you going to do?” she asked.
“We’re going back to the store and I’ll have her take it off your credit card and charge it to me.”
“NO! I do not need you to buy… things for me. I don’t need those bags, it was ridiculous. Forget I mentioned it. I can afford them Bly, it’s just…”
“Charlotte,” he said, kissing her so that she had to wipe shaving cream off her chin, “get me the receipt and the discussion is closed. I know you have a problem taking anything from me, but that’s too fucking bad. In fact tomorrow we’re going to Sotheby’s, there’s a once in a lifetime auction of Harry Winston vintage diamond engagement rings. I know just the one we’re going to buy,” he pulled her against him and ran his hands down her back then cupped her ass. “I’ve seen the auction catalogue and two of the rings have been stuck in mind. Now I know why, because you are going to marry me. One is thirty-three carats and it’s nearly as perfect as this amazing little ass of yours, or should I say mine? You are mine, Charlotte, we’re buying a wedding ring, something as magnificent as our love.”
“I’m already married, Bly, and do you seriously think I’d wear a diamond the size of a teacup? I’m not saying we can’t be together, my marriage is probably over, and whether it seems like it or not, I’m not happy about it. I have two kids, and they both love Finn, their happiness is the most important thing to me. So let’s not rush things, I’ve ruined myself with you, and that may be the only ‘for better or worse’ we get.”
*
At the Louis Vuitton boutique Sylvie looked giddy with happiness as Bly walked toward her smiling. Then her face fell when he handed her Charlotte’s credit card receipt and pulled Charlotte against him. “Refund the amount on this receipt, Sylvie, then charge it and anything else Charlotte wants to my account. In fact whenever she sets foot in this store, all her purchases are to be billed directly to me. Is that clear?”
“Your lawyer must have worked terribly hard and put in a great deal of overtime for you to pay her so generously,” Sylvie raised her head and looked down her nose at Charlotte as she spat the words out.
Charlotte was wrapped comfortably in Bly’s arms and she slowly slipped her hand down his body and let it rest on the front of his pants.
“Oh I did,” Charlotte said, “I’ve worked nonstop for several days and nights to repay Mr. Bly for that luggage, and it’s left me aching in the most delicious way. The thing is, I’m sure I haven’t finished taking care of him for his generosity. You must know that he’s a man who has a voracious appetite for pleasure. If you’ll lead us to an empty dressing room, he and I can get back to my loan payments right now.”
“Tramp!” Sylvie muttered under her breath and Bly started to say something but Charlotte pulled his mouth down to hers and his aggravation at Sylvie flew out the window.
“A dressing room, Sylvie, the lady would like the use of a dressing room, and she always gets her way. With me, at least,” and he smiled as Charlotte laughed and took him by the hand as Sylvie led them to a spacious dressing room.
“Better cover your ears or turn the music up, Sylvie. I’d hate for you to be scandalized by any noise we make, and you can bet we will,” Charlotte said, and Bly closed the door to the dressing room. He sat in an arm chair and began to laugh, but not for long. “You think I was bullshitting poor Sylvie? Oh Bly, you have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into by having an affair with me.”
“This isn’t an affair, you’re getting a divorce and marrying me,” Bly said. He closed his eyes then, and drew in a sharp breath as Charlotte stood above him with her legs parted and moved his fingers to her pussy.
“Shh, there is no tomorrow, only now. Do you like this, that I don’t wear panties? I don’t even own a pair anymore. Do you love that you affect me the way you do, that you make me so bold?” She looked deeply into his eyes as he pushed her skirt higher with one hand and unzipped his fly with the other. She moved onto his lap and he held her hips so that she settled onto him slowly. Her eyes fluttered closed and her breathing came in gasps at the sublime ache of Bly opening and filling her so completely.
*
“Charlotte, Charlotte!” children’s voices squealed when Bly and Charlotte walked past the Palm Court at the Plaza. Beau, Jack, Ava and Skyler circled around Charlotte’s legs and she bent down to hug them and cover their little faces with kisses.
“We’re having a tea party,” Beau announced, with his charming French accent and he held her hand and led her into the tea room. “With little cakes and everything! Come on Uncle Alex, you can have cake, too.”
Amanda, Evangeline, and West were having High Tea and Amanda shook her head and threw her hands up in surrender as Charlotte and Bly sat down at the table.
“Well this is a surprise, damn Charlotte, your eyes were all puffy from crying when you left Pass Christian. Something has you glowing, and I can only imagine what it is, am I right Alex?” Amanda said, kissing them both and her face held a great deal of amusement.
“You really have a way of cutting right to the chase, don’t you Amanda?” Bly said after he had kissed her and his mother and held out a chair for Charlotte then kissed the palm of her hand as he sat beside her. “So when did you get here, and where the hell is your nannie?”
“She’s on her way down from the children’s room to get them as we speak. Then Mother and West are taking them to Paris tomorrow so they can spend some time with their beloved cousins. You do remember the twins, don’t you? Mother was just telling me that you’ve discovered you and Charlotte have a little more in common than you realized,” Amanda said, and she was shocked that her brother was so calm now that he knew about Atticus. Of course he was basking in the joy of having Charlotte beside him and it was obvious the two of them were doing a lot more than just holding hands.
“Yes we certainly do,” Bly said, glaring at his sister in a way that chilled her to the bone. “Charlotte and I have a son together, and you don’t seem the least bit surprised. Am I to believe you somehow knew all along and didn’t tell me?” Bly was suddenly irritated at Amanda’s frivolous attitude as he realized she must have known the truth all along.
“Alex, I…” Amanda stammered but Charlotte spoke up.
“Don’t blame her Bly, I didn’t give her much of a choice,” Charlotte said and she could see that Amanda was truly afraid of the secret she’d kept for too many years.
“Really Amanda?” Evangeline said, leaning across the table toward her daughter. “You deceived your brother all these years, how very like you to behave in such an ungrateful manner.”
“I miss Atticus,” Beau said, standing next to Charlotte and holding her hand. “I wanted to go on the Disney boat with him, why didn’t you go Charlotte?”
“We’ll take you on a Mediterranean cruise, Beau. Now toddle off with the nannie and the other children. Surely it must be getting close to bedtime,” Evangeline said, it seemed that she was out of sorts about something and Amanda ha
d something to do with it.
“I don’t want go there,” Beau said, stomping his foot then climbing onto West’s lap. “Papa, will you take me on the Disney boat, please?”
“Of course I will,” West said, smiling at the boy with obvious pride, “now go on upstairs with the other kids and I’ll be up to get you in just a while. We’ll make the plans, Beau, I promise.”
“This family has gone insane,” Evangeline said, standing and collecting her Chanel purse and Hermes scarf. “Alexander, I’d like to go home to Paris immediately, can you have the jet waiting for me? West can bring the children along when it suits him and if I were you I’d make him fly commercial. You and I, Charlotte, have some serious talking to do. I want to meet that beautiful child of yours… Alexander’s son, promise me you will bring him to Paris soon,” her voice softened as she said the words. “Atticus may call me Grandmother, the other children will continue to call me Auntie,” and she flashed a furious look at both West and Amanda as she left.
“Have the damn jet take her away now,” Amanda said to Bly, “so she has one kind bone in her body and hallelujah it’s for Alexander’s golden child. This is exactly why no one ever should have known about Atticus. Do you have any idea how hard it’s going to be for him Alex? Charlotte knew, she said this is exactly what would happen, that’s why she never wanted me to tell you. Atticus is the angel faced brilliant love-child first-born-son of one of the most powerful men in the world. He’s going to spend the rest of his life under the weight of the jealousy and envy of those who will be pushed aside because of him. Being your chosen one isn’t going to make his life easy, so consider your actions carefully, both of you,” and she looked from Bly to Charlotte with resignation and a touch of pity.
