Forbidden Disclosure (A Billionaire in Disguise)

by Terri Marie

  Forbidden Disclosure

  A Billionaire in Disguise

  Book 1

  By Terri Marie

  Copyright © 2012 by Terri Marie

  All rights reserved.

  This novel is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real people, dead or alive, is strictly a matter of coincidence. Places and events depicted in these pages are from the author’s imagination.

  This book may not be copied or reproduced, in whole or in part, without the written permission from the author.

  Cover design by: http://www.exclusivepublishing.com/

  Books by Terri Marie:

  The Shack, Merry and a Cat Named Cha-moan: (Children’s action and adventure written for the children in my life!). They believed that The Shack was abandoned, but it wasn't. They were told to never go inside of it, but they did. They believed they could run really fast, but they had no idea...

  Narrated by a thirteen year old boy, find out what happens to a group of best friends, on a magical adventure and the race of their lives. They must save their friends, their town, and all that they believe in, before everything...is gone.

  Running from Beige, The Ties That Bind Series, Book 1:

  Would you flee from the life you live in if you could?

  Connie, Suzy, and Karen did. Through their desperate attempts to reclaim themselves, the paths of these three women become intertwined. They develop a friendship and sisterhood stronger than any of them imagined.

  Refusing to let one another face any of their hardships alone, they set out together on a journey toward discovery, hope, and freedom. But what they don't expect are the heartaches, betrayals, and shattered lives that lie waiting.

  Terri is currently working on Book 2 in The Ties That Bind, as well as the second in her new romance series, A Billionaire in Disguise. She resides in Michigan with her children.

  I love to write stories in different genres that paint you a picture, take you places you wouldn't ordinarily be able to go, and make you carry the characters in your heart and mind for years to come, just as I experienced when I created them. If a smile shines upon your face, a lesson is learned, and you wanted to sit down again and turn another page, then I am happy. If you recommend it to someone...I'm ecstatic!

  Thank you for your support and enthusiasm in my writing, and for your honest reviews. I read all my emails and if you contact me via my website, I will write back.

  If I'm not writing a book I'm busy being a mom, which is indeed my favorite part of life. More books are to come!

  Look for my books at all major retailers.

  Come join me on Facebook:

  http://www.facebook.com/terri.marie.50

  My website:

  http://terrimarie-books.com/

  With lots of gratitude, a huge thank you, and deep appreciation, for my lifesaver and editor, Meredith Ciotti.

  You're amazing!

  Chapter 1

  Francesco Giordano glared at his son from across the large mahogany desk. Daniel could tell that his father’s blood vessels were ready to pop any second. His father was always impeccably dressed, which just added to his ability to be intimidating.

  “Are you listening to me, Daniel?”

  “Yes, Father, I hear you loud and clear.” Daniel was beginning to squirm. He hadn’t seen his father this angry in years.

  “You are making a joke of this family! Your mother, God rest her soul, is probably turning over in her grave. This has got to stop!” he yelled. His heavy Italian accent was very prominent. “You promised me you’d turn over a new leaf this year, and here it is, the end of March, and you’ve gotten more out of control!”

  “Father, I’m sorry about the car.”

  “The car? The car?”

  “Okay, cars…”

  “Daniel, you know I love you, you’re my only child. I am sixty-nine years old and would love to hand over my reins to you! But how can I?”

  “Father, I can run the business.”

  “And what do you think you’ll do, Daniel? Destroy it like you have every single vehicle I’ve given you? Run it without dedication and perseverance? Perhaps you could run it while you’re chasing women!”

  “Father, I don’t see it as a big deal. I’m young, and I know I get careless sometimes, but vehicles are easily replaced.”

  “Easily? Daniel, I got this far by working hard. Very hard! I started Giordano Seas from the ground up. I was born into poverty, Daniel, and your mother, God rest her soul, and I worked incredibly hard. All you have done is taken everything for granted. You were pampered, Daniel, and that’s my fault. How do they say it? ‘Born with a cucchiaio d'argento in your mouth.’ You never worked a day in your life.”

  “That isn’t true, Father. I’ve gone to work with you many times.”

  “Daniel! You call flirting with the secretaries, going out for five hour lunches, working?”

  “Father, I love attractive women. Is that so bad?”

  “Daniel, I didn’t bring you in here to argue with you. Do you want to take over my shipping business?”

  “Father, you know I do. I’m your only child, who else would you give it to?”

  “Victor.”

  “You would give Victor the company? He isn’t even family!”

  “Daniel, Victor has been a devoted employee for two decades.”

  “Father, Victor is a go-to boy. I hardly think that gives him any kind of skill at running the company.”

  Normally by this time, Daniel would see his father start to soften. But now there was no hint of Francesco Giordano backing down at all. It was this fierceness that got the old shipping mogul his billions. Unfortunately, it never worked on his son. But this was definitely beginning to look like the times were changing. Daniel continued to squirm.

  “If you want it, Daniel, you are going to have to show me that you would be willing to start from the bottom. It is only then that you’ll actually value my business, make our family proud, and take care of it! You need to learn about life, not about blowing money and bedding women!”

  “I think you’re underestimating me. I am more than capable of running this business.”

  “Your mother, God rest her soul, she worked just as hard as I did. She did so much work it wasn’t even funny. She worked until her hands would be crippling her with pain from hours on a typewriter, for God sakes! And here you are, Daniel, twenty-six years old, acting like you’re sixteen.”

  “Okay, Father, I get your point. What do I have to do to prove to you that I’m capable of running Giordano Seas?” Daniel left no time for a reply from his father. “I know the business. I know how to run a competitive shipping business. I know the ins and outs of running all of it.”

  “Daniel, you aren’t responsible enough. You take everything in life for granted. I’ve told you this many times! You may know how to run the business, but you would run it into the ground. You don’t care about anything other than playing like a schoolboy. You have no appreciation and no respect!”

  “Father, I have my own place, I pay my bills on time—“

  “You live in a penthouse in Manhattan, which I paid for. You have charge accounts that I pay for, and you bed a new woman every single night. You wreck cars, you—“

  “What is it you want me to do, Father?” Daniel was finally ready to get to the bottom line. He let his father answer the question while he waited quietly.

  “Well, I’m so glad you asked.” Francesco reached down to the bottom drawer and pulled out a file. He slowly slid it across the desk and then leaned back in his chair. With his hands linked behind his head, he smiled.

  Daniel picked up the file
and opened it up.

  “What is this? Who is John Williams? And why do you have all of his documents? This guy lives in Prairie, Tennessee. We have nothing to do with little cow towns. Please don’t tell me you’re actually going to hire someone from there…” Daniel started to crack up. Abruptly he stopped after seeing a look of triumph in his father’s eyes. Daniel’s uneasiness grew tenfold. He was shocked that his father would actually be serious about hiring this John Williams character.

  Francesco pushed a button on his desk, and in walked Carl, the family’s long-time trusted butler. Over the years Carl had become Francesco’s greatest friend. Even though he was part of the staff at the big mansion, Carl was treated like family. He stopped just inside the door and looked as serious as Francesco.

  Francesco reached out his hand to his son. Daniel stood up with a puzzled look on his face, but placed his hand in his father’s and began to shake it. His father’s grip tightened.

  “It’s so very nice to meet you, Mr. John Williams.” Francesco turned on his heels and walked out of the room.

  “Good afternoon, Daniel,” said Carl as he sat down beside the puzzled young man.

  “Carl, what’s going on?”

  “Your father has created a new identity for you.”

  “What?!” Daniel busted out in nervous laughter.

  “I am to take you to Prairie, to your new apartment. You will be given a weekly allowance until you find a job. But you only have two weeks to do so.”

  “This is ridiculous!” Daniel rolled his eyes.

  “If you can last and prove to your father that you can survive on your own, work hard, and learn some lessons, you will be invited back and the business will be handed to you.” Carl was trying hard not to laugh.

  “Carl, we live here, in New York. Not Prairie, Tennessee.”

  “I am to accompany you.”

  “Carl, I’m not going. My father has lost his mind. There has to be some kind of hidden camera in here.”

  “Then I shall go speak with him, Daniel. I’m sure he’ll be calling Victor.”

  “Carl, this is a joke, right? I’m supposed to get all upset just to humor my father. I wish he’d get some hobbies. Some of his practical jokes are funny, but this one is a bit out there.”

  “No, Daniel. There are no jokes. Our flight leaves in four hours.”

  “Wait a minute. He’s actually going to get the jet fueled up to go fly me out to corn country?”

  “No, not exactly…”

  “Carl, tell me exactly. I’m not playing any more games!”

  “We’re flying coach.” Carl stood to hurry out of Francesco’s study. The tall, elegant fifty-five-year-old butler fell out in laughter when he closed the door behind him. He passed Francesco in the hallway and they gave each other a high five.

  Daniel sped off of the estate in his white Lamborghini Aventador. It was his third expensive sports car over a two month period. He may have been driving too fast, but the small accidents weren’t his fault. His father should just be happy that no one was injured. I can’t believe he’s pissed about a few cars! What the hell? His cell phone rang as he pulled into his secured parking spot at his penthouse.

  “Daniel?”

  “What is it, Carl?” growled Daniel. He was gripping his phone tightly.

  “You are to leave all access to money behind. Don’t bother packing luggage. I have everything you’ll need. We are to leave soon, so feel free to eat a meal and get washed up. I’ll arrive in an hour.” Carl hung up.

  Daniel threw his phone against the passenger door and yelled loudly. “Damn it!”

  He didn’t have the stomach to eat anything. It was in knots. How could he do this to me? He thought of calling Marissa, the hot swimsuit model he had a date with this evening, but he figured that this entire mess would be cleaned up before then. Daniel climbed in the shower and let the hot water loosen his muscles. Suddenly it hit him. Neither his father, nor Carl for that matter, had ever let a joke go on for this long. I’ll play his little game. It’ll just take a week before the Great Francesco finds out how much he needs me. I’ll go to Tennessee and start up another business. Who’ll have the last laugh then?

  Daniel spent the next thirty minutes pumping himself up for the biggest trial of his life. He wasn’t a failure. He got what he wanted, when he wanted it. He had the brains and the looks. Victor can bite me.

  He looked at himself in the mirror with approval. Dark hair, dark brown eyes, olive complexion…Daniel smiled at the thoughts of heads turning in Prairie, Tennessee. His muscles made his expensive black suit fit just right. The material was hand-woven wool, soft to the touch and one of a kind.

  There was a knock at the door.

  Daniel slowly approached it. Anyone who came up to the penthouse had to be approved and announced. There had been no announcement. Who could possibly get past security? Carl.

  “Here, Daniel. You’ll need to leave the suit at home. I brought you these to change into.”

  Daniel opened up the big brown paper bag. His jaws clenched. “Carl, what the hell is this?”

  “Your clothes.”

  Taking the bag with him, Daniel went to his room and dumped the contents out on his bed. He laughed hard and loud.

  “I’m not wearing these!” Daniel shouted, but no response came from Carl. He lifted the clothing up to his face, expecting to smell something foul. He decided to put them on, knowing that nothing would fit; after all, his clothes were custom made. But they did. Kill me now. Daniel stood in front of the full-length mirror again and cringed. The blue plaid flannel shirt and faded jeans were setting his insides on fire. Work boots? He is going too far! Daniel stormed out of the room and stood in front of Carl, fuming.

  “Well, you definitely look different, Daniel. Those will do just fine. Come along.” Carl had to restrain himself.

  “I have no say-so in this, do I?” Daniel said in a voice full of panic.

  “No, I’m afraid not.”

  “Carl, did you pick these out? Is this the other part to my father’s joke?”

  “Come with me, Daniel. We don’t want to miss our flight.”

  “What if I refuse? Father isn’t going to just up and give our family business to anyone other than me.”

  “I’m afraid he will, Daniel. He already has papers drawn up for Victor. He is going to retire, one way or the other. Let’s go, we have a plane to catch.”

  “So how long is this twisted game going to last, Carl?”

  “Until your father is sure you’re the best candidate.”

  “Fine. I’ll play along. After all, Daniel Giordano can win anything.” Daniel smiled and tucked his thumbs in his belt hoops to mimic the hillbillies he’s seen on television.

  “You’re not Daniel Giordano. You’re John Williams. You won’t have your father’s name to carry you.”

  Come on, Daniel, you can do it. It’s just for a few days. As long as he didn’t look down at his clothes, he felt confident. Perhaps the hidden camera is on… He couldn’t help but laugh at the whole situation.

  Walking outside with Carl, Daniel stopped and kept looking up and down the parking lot, then the street.

  “Carl, where’s the limo?”

  “Right here.” Carl pointed to an old red pickup truck.

  “You’re driving that?”

  “Yes. I thought you should get used to it. Your new vehicle looks just like it. Get in, Daniel, and buckle up. I’m not sure about its safety.”

  When Daniel opened the truck door, the sounds of rusted metal grinding were loud. He did as he was told and buckled up for dear life. After four tries, Carl got the pickup started, and off they went to the airport.

  The only airplane that Daniel had ever flown in was the family jet. Sitting behind a large man, who insisted on reclining, was making him feel as if his six-foot four inch frame was going to fold like an accordion. Carl had to stare out the window frequently so Daniel wouldn’t see his smirk.

  “Try to get some res
t, Daniel. It’ll make the flight go by faster.”

  “Carl, how the heck do I sleep with this screaming kid behind me kicking my seat? And by the way, you can stop enjoying my misery so much. I’ll be damned if I’m going to let my father win this one.”