Slow Burn (A Madaris Family Novel)

by Jackson, Brenda

  Skye had been watching the man who was her father the entire time. He appeared calm, cool, collected, but she had a feeling he was taking in everything his father was saying, emotionally and mentally.

  “Your intentions may have been good, Congressman Baines,” Slade was now saying. “Unfortunately, the Barclays were not the loving and caring parents you assumed they were.”

  Congressman Baines jerked his head around to stare at Skye. “Is that true?”

  It seemed to Skye that all eyes were on her. “They weren’t monsters or anything like that, but Mom was very controlling and Dad just wasn’t strong enough to stand up against her, although I felt he was on my side most of the time. As a child I could never do anything to please her, although I always tried. But I really can’t complain, because I’m sure there are other children who had it worse than I did.”

  A smile touched her lips when she added, “I think while growing up, the brightest highlight of my week was when I knew Dad would take me into the office on Saturday and you and Mrs. Baines would be there to spend time with me. I didn’t understand why the two of you were there, but now I do.”

  “And I would always ask if you were okay and if you were happy and you always said that you were,” the congressman said softly.

  “Yes, I know. Both you and Mrs. Baines would always ask. And although you were very kind to me, I couldn’t say anything about how I truly felt. What could I say? No, I wasn’t okay and wasn’t happy? The Barclays were my parents, and I thought they acted like all parents act. I didn’t know there was a difference…until I met the Madarises,” she said, smiling at Slade, Clayton, and Justin. “I saw how Lorren and Justin interacted with Vincent. I could feel the love and I saw how quick they were to show it, and then I realized what I had missed out on while growing up.”

  The room got quiet and the congressman held his head down for a moment, and when he lifted his head the hurt and pain reflected in his eyes tore at Skye’s heart. She had been deeply loved even when she hadn’t known it.

  “Marie and I did all that we could to assure that you were taken care of,” the congressman was saying. “We couldn’t imagine strangers taking you into their homes and our not ever knowing where you were or how you were. I guess in my selfishness I made a mess of things.”

  Skye’s voice cracked a little when she said, “No, you didn’t make a mess of things, because you did know where I was and you and Mrs. Baines did spend time with me. I just never knew who you really were to me.”

  “And it was our intention that you never found out,” Congressman Baines said. “Because we had lied to Ryan, we knew we’d lost the privilege of you ever knowing you were our grandchild.”

  “At any time did you ever consider telling me the truth, Dad?” the senator asked his father.

  Congressman Baines glanced over at Ryan. “Yes, many times. That day I persuaded you to go to her college graduation with me was one of those times. But I had lost your mother and I couldn’t stand the thought of losing you as well once you discovered the truth. I’m sorry that I lied to you, but I thought what I was doing was for the best for everyone. I came close to telling you again after the Barclays had informed me that Skye had discovered she’d been adopted, and she had mentioned to them that she also wanted to find out the identity of her father. But by then I thought it was best to leave well enough alone, and that if you discovered the truth, then it was meant to be.”

  Ryan nodded as he glanced over at Skye. “And how did you put two and two together, Skye?”

  Skye sighed deeply and gazed into the eyes of the man who was her father. “I didn’t. When those threats were made I—”

  “What threats?” the senator asked, frowning deeply.

  “The ones made by Wayne Bigelow. Do you know him?” she asked.

  The senator nodded. “Not personally, although I know who he is. His grandfather and my father were business partners many years ago. Over the past couple of years, I can remember seeing him once or twice.”

  “So the two of you are not engaged in any business dealings together?” Clayton asked carefully.

  The senator shook his head again. “No. Did he say that we were?”

  “No, but threats were made against the lives of Skye’s biological brother and Slade that unless she returned to Augusta by this afternoon and promised to marry him as planned by Christmas, something would happen to them.”

  Senator Baines leaned forward. “No one can force her into marriage,” he said, not believing such a thing.

  “We know that, but evidently Bigelow doesn’t. He will lose his trust fund unless he and Skye marry by Christmas Day. And from what we can gather,” Clayton continued, “he’s a compulsive gambler who needs as much money as he can get his hands on to feed his habit. In addition to that, he’s heavily in debt.”

  “But what does any of that have to do with me?” the senator asked, still not understanding.

  It was Slade who broke it down for him. “Evidently there’s someone who wants Skye controlled so that she’ll never go through with locating her biological father. Someone doesn’t want that information known, so much to the point they would harm others to keep it hidden.”

  “So you assumed it was me?” the senator asked, not believing what he was hearing.

  “You were the logical choice, Senator,” Clayton said, staring straight at the man. “With your eye on such a high political prize, you stand to lose quite a bit if news of an illegitimate daughter surfaces. So in that case, you were our number-one suspect.”

  “Was I the only one?”

  “We had considered her parents,” Clayton replied. “However, we discounted them when Slade became involved. Skye never mentioned him to her parents. But you saw them together at Senator Lansing’s retirement party. Somehow Bigelow found out about Slade soon after that and knew he was someone who meant enough to Skye to use him to threaten her.”

  “And you assumed I was the one who told Bigelow about him?”

  Before anyone could answer, Congressman Baines said, “I might have been the one to do that—not that I passed anything on to Wayne Bigelow. However, I had been so excited about seeing Skye that night and when I got back to my hotel room, I called Tom and Edith to let them know I’d seen her. I also mentioned the comment she’d made about hiring someone to locate her biological father and that I noticed her ardent interest in Slade.”

  He turned to look at Skye. “It wasn’t that I was reporting to them, I was merely letting them know I’d seen you and that you seemed happy and content. I even told them that if you did discover the identity of your father it would not bother me.”

  Clayton nodded. “Then there’s a possibility that they are the ones who might have mentioned something to Bigelow.” He then glanced back at the senator. “Considering the million-dollar bonus they’d get if they were successful in marrying Skye and Bigelow, I can understand why they are so desperate to see it happen. But is there any reason why the Barclays would want to guard your identity as her biological father?”

  The senator glanced over at his father. “Since you know these people better than I do, Dad, I’m going to have to let you answer that question.”

  The congressman shook his head. “No, I can’t think of a reason. It really makes no sense, and a part of me can’t believe that Tom would be involved in something like that.”

  “What about Edith Barclay?”

  “I really don’t want to think that about her, either, but after hearing what Skye’s childhood was like, I really don’t know.”

  “Well, everyone, there’s only one way to find out who is behind what Bigelow is doing,” Clayton said.

  “And what way is that?” the senator asked.

  “Set him up. If Skye lets him know she’s decided not to marry him after all and that she plans to report his threats to the police, he’ll make contact with someone, his accomplice. When he does, we can have him followed.”

  Slade angled his head and glanced over at S
kye. “What do you think?”

  Skye’s gaze touched everyone in the room. “I think it’s time for us to put an end to things.”

  Sir Drake, who hadn’t spoken the entire time, spoke up and said, “I’m glad everyone is in agreement, because I’ve had Bigelow under surveillance since early this morning.”

  “Are you sure you don’t have to be at the airport to pick up Skye?” a naked Helen Stone asked as she sipped on her champagne. They had ordered a bottle sent up to their hotel room to celebrate Skye’s homecoming.

  “No, I offered, but she refused. I expect her to be in a little snit for a while and I’ll let her. Then I plan to let her know who’s boss.”

  “Good. Edith will stand her ground, but if Tom tries to interfere, don’t let him. He’s often soft where Skye’s concerned.”

  At that moment Bigelow’s cell phone went off and he reached across the bed to pick it up off the nightstand. He checked the number and silently mouthed the name Skye to Helen.

  “Yes, Skye, have you made it to Augusta yet?”

  “No, and I’ve decided not to come, Wayne,” Skye said, reciting the script she had been coached to say. “I won’t let you force me into a marriage that I don’t want.”

  Wayne jumped from the bed. “Now you look here, Skye, evidently that warning to Madaris wasn’t good enough for you. Next time I’ll have my man go after your kid brother.”

  “Not if I go to the police first. I refuse to let you bully me. I’m protected by the Madarises, and there’s nothing you can do.”

  “The hell there isn’t. You just wait and see just what I’ll—”

  At that moment the hotel room door was flung wide open. Helen Stone let out a startled scream before doing everything she could to cover her nakedness when four men walked in, along with Skye, who was still holding the cell phone in her hand. Skye looked at a speechless Wayne, whose mouth was gaped open, before moving her gaze to the woman in bed with him.

  “Hello, Helen. It’s not even amusing finding the two of you together like this,” Skye said with disgust in her voice.

  Fearful of jail time, Wayne Bigelow spilled his guts. He claimed that a week after the announcement of his engagement to Skye, Helen had approached him, after finding out about his gambling habit, with an offer of a deal, along with the enticement of an illicit affair. Edith had confided in Helen regarding the person who was Skye’s biological father. The reason Helen hadn’t wanted the identity of the man known was because she had planned to use it in her grand blackmail scheme to get money out of the Barclays, the congressman, and the senator.

  Charges were being filed and a press conference had been called by both the congressman and senator to explain what the charges were about and why. Skye chose not to attend the press conference, nor did she want to see it on television. What she wanted was to get as far away from Augusta as she could. Slade had granted her that wish, and plans were under way for them to leave to return to Houston later that day.

  She and Slade had just finished enjoying a late lunch in their hotel room when there was a knock on the door. Her parents had called, eager to talk to her to tell their side of the story, not wanting her to think they knew what had been going on with Helen and Wayne. They had even apologized, saying they had never meant to hurt her and that deep down they did love her as a daughter. A part of Skye had wanted to believe them, but then another part, the one that had taken their mental abuse for years, could not.

  “Who do you think that is?” she asked as Slade headed for the door.

  “Probably Justin to let us know what time the plane will be ready.”

  It wasn’t Justin. It was the senator. “Sorry to show up like this, but I just came from the press conference and was wondering if I could talk to Skye.”

  “Certainly,” Slade said, inviting him in.

  And to give them the privacy he felt they needed, he said, “I’m going across the hall to Justin’s room to check with him about something. I’ll be back later.”

  As soon as the door closed behind him Skye glanced over at the senator. “Would you like to sit down?”

  “Yes,” he said, taking the seat she offered him.

  He stared at her for a few seconds before saying, “I can see the resemblance. You favor Kathy.”

  She nodded. “You do remember her, then.”

  “Yes, I remember her. I thought she was very beautiful. I’m not going to lie and weave some story of a summer love that I never got over, because that wasn’t the case. I was seventeen, away from home for the summer, and she and I met. We liked each other right away and eventually became involved. I remember that night being special because it had been the first time for the both of us. At the end of the summer we exchanged addresses and phone numbers and said we would keep in touch, but we never did. I returned home with my focus on attending Harvard.”

  “So, you never talked with her again?” Skye asked, tilting her head to look at him.

  “No, I never did, and after my parents told me she’d lost the baby, I thought of sending her a card and flowers but decided against it. I figured it would be best that we both moved on with our lives.”

  Skye didn’t say anything for a long moment, then said, “May I ask you something?”

  “Yes.”

  “Whenever I saw you, you always seemed to be distant to me. Why was that?”

  “Because of my father. He was fascinated with you, always singing your praises or mentioning your name, and I never knew why he’d taken such an interest in you. He never would say, so I could only form my own opinions.”

  Skye looked shocked. “You thought your father and I were involved in some way?”

  “I didn’t want to think it, but it’s been known to happen. My mother had been dead a number of years and one day I accidentally came across a bank account he had set up for you. I do know that older men get attracted to young girls. It’s been the career downfall of several of my colleagues.”

  Skye understood where he was coming from in light of the most recent scandal in the Senate, where a well-known senator was accused of having an affair with a young woman—twenty-two years younger—who had worked in his office last summer. The pregnant young woman had come forward to tell her story.

  “But I want you to know that today I publicly announced that I recently discovered that I have a twenty-six-year-old daughter who just happened to have been born on my eighteenth birthday.”

  Skye lifted a brow, surprised. “I didn’t know that.”

  He smiled. “Neither did I. Dad told me. He and Mom thought that in itself was a special blessing for the both of them. I’m glad they got to spend time with you while you were growing up.”

  “I’m grateful for that time as well. Your mother was so nice to me. I used to hate it when the time came to leave. Then all I had to look forward to was the next weekend. I’ll never forget how I felt when I got word that she had died.”

  The senator leaned back in his seat. “I guess the big question is just where do you and I go from here, Skye? You are my daughter and more than anything I want to get to know you.”

  Skye’s heart didn’t feel as heavy when she said, “And I want to get to know you as well. I’m returning to Houston and I will make my home there with Slade. He’s asked me to marry him and I’ve accepted. But you and Congressman Baines are welcome to be a part of my life. I really want that.”

  A smile touched the senator’s lips. “I want that as well, and I know Dad does. And you’re not the only one contemplating marriage. I’m giving up my bachelor status and I’m asking Addy Peterson, the woman I’ve been seeing for a couple of years, to marry me.”

  Skye grinned. “That’s wonderful, and congratulations.” Automatically she crossed the room and gave her father a hug. He held her tight and she felt it: a tie and bond were established between the two of them.

  She closed her eyes and thanked God for bringing Slade into her life and for uniting her with her biological brother, father, and grandfathe
r.

  Diana smiled when she opened her hotel room door to find the tall, handsome, distinguished-looking man with sea green eyes standing there. “Syntel!” she exclaimed, going into his open arms.

  “I hope you didn’t think I’d let you and Nedwyn marry without me being here,” he said, chuckling in his deep Texan drawl. “Ned called me last night and I immediately made plans to get here. I always told him I wouldn’t be cheated out of the chance to be his best man.”

  She couldn’t help but smile. Ned and Syntel had been best friends since college, and over the years their friendship had strengthened. There was nothing one would not do for the other.

  When Nedwyn walked out of the bedroom and saw his best friend, he couldn’t help but grin. “Somehow I figured you wouldn’t let this day happen without you.”

  “Not on your life,” Syntel said, giving Ned a huge bear hug. “And it’s about time you asked this beautiful lady to share your life with you,” he said.

  When Diana gave him a questioning look, Syntel simply grinned and said, “Yes, I knew how he felt about you, Di. He’s held it in for a long time and I’m glad he’s finally let it out and admitted it. I wish the both of you much happiness.”

  “And what about you, Syntel?” she asked softly. She knew the woman he loved had died over thirty years ago and that she had a permanent place in his heart.

  He smiled fondly and said, “I’m a man who can only love one woman, and Janeda was it for me. I’m happy these days spending time with my daughter and granddaughter.”

  Moments later the three friends left the hotel for the small church where the wedding services would be held.

  “I now pronounce that you are man and wife.”

  The minister’s words rang loud and clear, not just in Nedwyn Lansing’s ears but in his heart as well. He stood facing the woman he had loved for so long, finally making her his.

  “And you may kiss your bride, Senator Lansing.”