Resemblance

by Y. L. Stokes

  Nick sat alone in his office.

  “So where’s your lawyer?” Charlie asked as he walked in.

  “I don’t think we need him for this discussion,” Nick said. “Have a seat,” Nick instructed while he finished the call he was on. “Honey I’m not sure what time the twins will be there, but you can be sure since food is involved they will be there.”

  Charlie took the offered seat and waited until Nick ended the call on the pins and needles he’d been on since he’d gotten the call from him this morning. He opened his mouth to ask him to get on with it, but Nick’s comments stopped him.

  “Man, you look like hell,” Nick said.

  “Thanks. So is that what you called me here for, or do you have some business you’d like to discuss?”

  Nicholas let out a deep sigh. “Charlie, I know the other day I said some things that I shouldn’t have, and I think I also made some threats.”

  “Yes, you did, so stop beating around the bush and just get on with it.” Charlie flinched at the pain his outburst caused.

  “Charlie, man, we were friends for a helluva long time, and because of that friendship and the fact that my future wife told me she’d rather I didn’t go through with my threat, you can keep your business.”

  Speechless, Charlie stared at Nick as if he’d lost his mind. “Okay, what gives? Tell me, what’s the catch?” he asked, suspicious.

  “No catch. As long as you continue with business on the up and up. I really don’t want to have to deal with another vendor, so the only thing between us will be business, nothing less and nothing more.”

  Charlie left the office with a heavy heart. I should be happy after being told I won’t be losing my company, ecstatic even, but I’m not. He felt more alone that he had in a long time and knew the cause of it. There wouldn’t be any more family cook outs with Nick and his brothers, no more motherly advice from Nick’s mom. He wouldn’t even get a chance to play with Nick’s son as he had with Alicia.

  Charlie remembered the conversation Nick had been having over the phone with Ashley when he’d entered. From what he’d overheard, they were giving a family dinner. His mother was there cooking one of her famous feasts, and the twins were to arrive later. Jack was sure to be there. More than likely they would be spending the night. Something else you’re going to miss out on thanks to your lack of loyalty.

  After Charlie left, Nick had to admit that he felt pretty good about his decision. Hell, it made him feel good because it made Ashley happy, and that’s all that mattered to him. That and the fact that his little boy adored him. Lost in thought, he didn’t notice the woman standing in his doorway until she cleared her throat.

  He looked up, and she let out a loud gasp and crumpled to the floor. Nicholas quickly ran to her side. When she came to, her hands shook, and she reached up to touch his face.

  “Nicholas?” she whispered.

  “Yes, I’m Nicholas. Stay with me now,” he said and gently patted her face. He said in a soothing voice, “Can I get you something to drink, or do you need a doctor?” He helped her up and over to the sofa.

  “You look so much like your father.”

  Nicholas’ nerves stood on end. “Who are you?”

  “I’m your grandmother, Mary Remington.”

  Nicholas stared at the woman sitting beside him. “What are you doing here?”

  “I told your mother that I wanted to see you…to get to know you.”

  “Why? You didn’t want to know me when my mother came to you after my father died.”

  “I did want to, but I was so angry with your father for going against my wishes.”

  “You mean when he married my mother?”

  Mary closed her eyes. “Nicholas, I know that I wronged you and your mother in the past, but I want to make amends to correct the wrong…by making sure that you get your father’s inheritance.”

  “It wasn’t me you wronged; it was my mother when she came to you. You turned her away saying that you didn’t acknowledge the marriage.”

  “I know that’s what I did, but you have to understand I was grief-stricken. I had lost my only son. I never had the chance to apologize to him, to tell him that I loved him, so when your mother came to me I blamed her for the rift between us.”

  Nicholas stared out the window. “What about Trisha?” he asked and turned to watch her reaction to the name.

  “Trisha? Who’s Trisha? I don’t know of anyone by that name.”

  “Are you saying that you didn’t pay someone to have their daughter set me up by getting her pregnant and marrying her?”

  Mary appeared stunned. “What? I would never do that. I wouldn’t dare try and tell you who to see or marry after the way I lost your father. Believe me, it was a hard lesson to learn.”

  For some unexplainable reason, Nicholas believed her. Her being here was a little more than he was ready for, though. “Look, I have to go home. Everyone’s coming over to chaperone my fiancée and I until the wedding tomorrow.”

  “I’m not leaving here until you tell me when we can sit down and talk.”

  Nick looked at the woman who had seemed so fragile when she’d first arrived but seemed much stronger now.

  “Look, this is a lot for me to take in. I want to sit down and talk things out because there are some things you should know about, since it appears that you’re the one behind them.”

  “Do you think it would be possible for me to attend the wedding?” she asked, a look of yearning on her face.

  “Let me check with Ashley, and I’ll call you tonight and give you an answer.”

  Satisfied with his response, she stood to leave. “When you call me to give me the answer, perhaps we could set up a time to talk.” She walked out the door.

  Nicholas smiled to himself. He had to admit she had a lot of spunk. Her response to him had sounded genuine. His mother had told him how much he looked like his father, but he’d thought she’d exaggerated. Apparently not. Gathering his things, he headed for the door. He needed to get home to his family and talk to Ashley about his grandmother possibly coming to their wedding.

  He took the long way home, using the time to think. His grandmother’s reaction to his questions about Trisha shed new light on the situation. Someone was out to hurt him, making it look as if his grandmother was behind it. Guesses are, it has to be my cousin, Peter. That could be the only explanation, and he was sure that Peter wasn’t finished.

  After talking to Ashley, he’d go over his theories with his brothers, and maybe, just maybe, they could put a stop to Peter before he hurt someone else.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Peter listened to the caller on the other line while he sat behind the big desk in his grandmother’s study. He’d been daydreaming about the day all this would be his. The phone had interrupted his thoughts. Now, the smile that his thoughts had induced vanished.

  He listened intently as the guy tailing his grandmother explained that she was just leaving the building where his dear cousin had his offices. Apparently, she had got a chance to see Nicholas—a guess, considering she’d been in there for at least thirty minutes.

  The news gave him a pounding headache.

  “Stick with her,” he said into the receiver, “and keep me informed.”

  He hung up, and Trisha slithered into the room.

  Damn, he hated her. He only kept her around just in case he needed her again and to keep up appearances, for his grandmother, nor any one else, could ever find out about his secret desires. The pleasures he enjoyed were considered taboo even in this day and age, especially from someone tied to the Remington name.

  The urge beset him again, which meant that he’d be sneaking out tonight. He’d don his disguise and go to the one person that had always been able to pleasure him. Just the thought of his name stiffened his member. He stifled a groan. Trisha’s voice reminded him that he wasn’t alone.

  Clearing his throat, he tried to catch what she’d said. “Excuse me?”

  “
I said, who was that on the phone?” She rolled her eyes. “What were you thinking about? You have this glazed look in your eyes.”

  “Uh, that was the guy that’s tailing my grandmother. Apparently she went to see your ex fiancé.”

  “Oh, I wonder how that went. I’m sure not too well, because I’m sure Charlie probably told Nicholas that your grandmother’s the one that set him up with me,” she said, smiling.

  “Considering that was the story you gave him, why wouldn’t he carry the mail? It’s what I intended for him to do.”

  “Have you had any luck in finding an heir?”

  “No,” he said and slammed his fist on the desk. “If I had I wouldn’t be sitting here worrying.”

  “Well, I’m sorry. I told you that all you have to do is get me pregnant. I’m ready, willing, and able,” she purred in his ear and rubbed her body against him.

  It took everything in him not to gag. His hands gripped into fists at his sides to keep from pushing her away from him. When this is over, I’m going to enjoy ringing her little neck.

  “Oh, but you can’t do that, can you, huh? Cause you can’t get it up for a woman, can you? That’s why, when you found out about the clause in your grandmother’s will, you had to drug the girls in order to make love to them, trying to make one of them pregnant.”

  Her words turned him cold. He glared at her.

  “Oh, you didn’t think I knew, huh? There are a lot more things that I know about, and you’d do well to remember that. Well, I’ve enjoyed our time together. I’ll be leaving for a while. I’m going to go over to Charlie’s so I can find a real man. Why don’t you go see your little friend? I’m sure he’d love to see you too.”

  Peter stared at her in disbelief as she slipped on her jacket and left the house.

  He’d have to get rid of her sooner than he’d expected. If she thought that by knowing his secrets he would let her live, she had another thing coming. But right now he needed her. Peter got out of his wheelchair, walked over to the phone, and quickly dialed the number etched into his memory. When the phone was answered on the other line he breathed a sigh of relief.

  “I need to see you,” he said in a breathless voice.

  Trisha smiled to herself when she saw Peter coming out the back of the house. She’d known that he would have to go and see his man after she’d dropped her little bomb. Her plan was working just as she hoped it would. Yesterday, she’d switched rental cars so that Peter wouldn’t see her following him. Glancing over to the passenger seat, she checked to make sure that she’d loaded the film into the camera. She knew without a shadow of a doubt that he’d planned on getting rid of her, but he’d think twice about it once he knew about her little insurance package.

  She followed him down to Eighth Street. A lone brick house stood at the end of an old dirt road. She didn’t immediately follow him down the road, but waited for a few minutes, giving him time to get to the house and inside. He’d be suspicious if he spotted another car coming along the track.

  Proud of herself, she thought about how she’d driven out here a couple of nights before and scoped everything out. She’d show him that she wasn’t the dumb blonde that he thought she was. Trisha knew exactly where she would be to get the best pictures; however, would she be able to stomach watching the things that they would be doing to each other?

  Once she’d reached her vantage point outside the bedroom window, she momentarily worried about the flash, but remembered how Peter and his man liked to perform with the lights on. She may not even have to use the flash, but if she did, she was sure they wouldn’t notice.

  As soon as Peter climbed out of the car, Raymond opened the door, ushered Peter inside, and closed it. Peter pulled him into his arms.

  “I know I probably shouldn’t be here, but I just had to see you. That bitch is driving me crazy,” he screamed and broke away from Raymond to pace the room.

  He felt more at home in here, the room decorated to the hilt with pink flowers and lace. The feathered sofa beckoned him, and Peter gave in to the urge by throwing himself down, letting the couch envelop him. He released a deep, cleansing sigh.

  “Which bitch are you referring to? The one that has all the bucks, or the other one?”

  “If you want to know the truth, both of them—my grandmother for her clause, and that bitch Trisha for forcing me to move my timetable up. She knows about us,” Peter whispered.

  Raymond’s face turned serious. Peter told him about the conversation with Trisha.

  Raymond placed his hand on Peter’s leg, gently squeezing. “I know what you need,” he whispered. “Follow me.”

  The bedroom door opened, and Trisha ducked down. A moan sounded from Peter. She peeked up, smiling to herself. They’d left the lights on. She lifted the camera to her eye and stifled a gag. She’d kissed that same mouth that was now occupied elsewhere.

  After about an hour, Trisha realized that she couldn’t stand anymore. Quickly and quietly she left, careful not to make a sound, even though she doubted that they would hear her with all the noise they made. Away from the house now, she ran down the dirt road to her rental car. Once on her way, a laugh escaped her, one that started from her toes and traveled to her gut. She laughed all the way to her girlfriend’s photography studio. Trisha had decided to make several copies. One set she would send to Charlie. He loved her, fool that he was, and if anything happened to her she was certain he’d make sure that they got into the right hands. She’d also mail a copy to her mother, with a letter stating that if she read of her death she should call the police.

  Chapter Twenty

  Mary Remington instructed her limo driver to take her to her lawyer’s office. After talking to her grandson, she had to have her will changed. Nicholas shouldn’t be punished because of an old argument between her and his father, an argument that she seriously regretted to this day. Her mind drifted to her other grandson. Worthless as he was, she was partly to blame. She’d tried to use him as a substitute for Nicholas, spoiling him by giving him any and everything that he wanted and paying off the young women that had come to confront him about the wrongs he’d done.

  Mary knew what he’d done to them and why. She was well aware of Peter’s sexual preference. Though women informed her that Peter had fathered their children, he’d only used the women to try and hide his true preference from her. Once, when he thought she’d left town, she came back into the house and found him there with his male friend. She’d almost had a heart attack. After that, she caught him lying to her and realized she couldn’t trust him. She didn’t feel safe around him—one of the main reasons for changing her will, making Nicholas her beneficiary and executor of her estate. She’d already talked this over with her attorney, and he’d called earlier to inform her that the changes had been made. She would leave enough for Peter to live comfortably—if he used his money wisely. Mary was so deep in thought, her driver had to call her several times before she registered their arrival.

  Peter finished dressing. His cell phone rang. He listened for a moment then disconnected the call, puzzled, a frown on his face.

  “What’s wrong?” Raymond asked, propped up on pillows in bed.

  “That was the guy trailing my grandmother. He says that she’s at her attorney’s office.”

  “So?”

  “Well, it wouldn’t mean anything unless she went to change her will, which would make me believe that her meeting with my cousin went well. Shit!” he yelled and ran his hands across his face in frustration. “Damn him and that old woman.”

  Nicholas pulled into his driveway and turned off the engine. Smiling, he relished how wonderful it felt to come home. Before Ashley and Marcus came into his life, this had just been his house, the place where he slept for a couple of hours each night, or prowled around when the nightmares drove him from his bed. Now, with Ashley and Marcus being there, it felt like home.

  He stepped into the kitchen from the garage expecting to see Marcus in his walker. He didn’t, so
walked over to where his mother stood. Bending down, he gave her a kiss and swiped a carrot.

  “Where’s Marcus?” he asked her and nodded to Jack.

  “Asleep.”

  Nicholas frowned and asked where Ashley was. Before his mom could respond, Ashley came in from the patio.

  “Hi, honey,” she said and walked up to him, giving him a welcome home kiss.

  Ashley stared up into his eyes. Nick gave her a wink and headed for the stairs to change.

  In Marcus’ room, he stared down at his sleeping form. Ashley joined him. She took his hand in hers and led him back into their bedroom. Once inside, she pushed him down onto the bed.

  “Wait a minute now, you know we can’t do anything, Ash. Mom will be up here before I can get your clothes off.” He stopped the joking act when he saw the look in her eyes. “Damn, you know me too well, don’t you?”

  “What happened at the office today?” she asked.

  “Well, you know I had the meeting with Charlie and….”

  “Who else besides Charlie came to the office today?”

  Nicholas stood and paced over to the bedroom window, opened the double doors, and stepped onto the balcony. He leaned against the railing, staring at the setting sun. Ashley came out and stood beside him.

  “My grandmother.”

  Ashley turned to face him. “What did Mary want?”

  Nick told her about the conversation he’d had with his grandmother.

  “It sounds as if you two hit it off okay, so what’s troubling you?”

  Nicholas pulled her into his arms and stared down into her face. “She asked if she could attend our wedding on Saturday.”

  Ashley’s mouth worked, but no sound came out. Nick bit back a smile, sure it wasn’t the right time for grinning.

  “Why does she want to come to our wedding?” Ashley croaked out.

  “She said that she’d missed so much because of the argument with my father that she didn’t want that same argument to stop her from knowing me.”