Cynical Heart (Heart Series)

by Lee, Vivian Rose

  “Diz, can you take me home please? Cat, Zoey, everything was great and I loved the cake. Conchita,” she said, nodding her head to Cassandra.

  “My name is Cassandra!” She snapped.

  “Riiight…”

  She turned and faced the Howard brothers. “Guys I will see you tomorrow at the seminar, and with that I say, goodnight.”

  Diz returned with her wrap and after placing it around her shoulders, looked over at Cab.

  “Well I guess she told you big brother,” he laughed.

  A dumbfounded Cab looked at his family. Cat and Zoey were not happy and their looks made sure he knew that, but his brothers were having a hard time containing themselves.

  “I like her,” Satch said, grabbing the last piece of cake.

  With dinner now officially over, Cat got to the task of cleaning up and Zoey joined in to help.

  “You don’t have servants to do that?” Cassandra asked incredulously.

  Cat looked over at her, and half wondered why she was still there. “No, I’d rather take care of my own household,” she answered.

  “But you are an heiress!” Cassandra replied, shaking her head. “I have so much to teach you sweetie.”

  That was it. Cat had heard enough. “First of all, I don’t want anyone waiting on me…”

  “That’s enough Cassandra!” Cab hissed.

  Cassandra glanced over at Cab and rolled her eyes. “Well, I’m just saying that if Duke could afford servants, Cat wouldn’t have to do her own cleaning. This Bel Air after all, and having servants in a mansion of this size is the norm.”

  “Oooh,” Satch said as the room became instantly quiet. She didn’t know it yet, but Cassandra just stepped in it big time.

  Cat slowly lifted her head from her task of collecting dishes, and seeing this, Cab quickly moved over beside Cassandra. He knew his sister-in law well, and since Cassandra had just said the wrong thing, he thought it best if he got her out of there before he had to pay for her broken nose. Glaring hard at Cab, who ruined a perfectly good dinner even after he explicitly told him not to, Duke moved over to stand beside his wife. This time he wasn’t going to stop her from speaking her mind or doing anything else she want to do.

  “First of all Cassandra, I am not your sweetie, and for the record we will never become as close as sisters, or even friends for that matter. My husband can afford anything he wants, and if he cannot, I can. I don’t need your gold digging advice on my wardrobe, my lifestyle, or my weight. Oh and by the way; call me fat again, and Cab will be paying for your rhinoplasty bill. You are a guest of my brother-in-law and for that one reason, and that one reason alone, you are here. You have blatantly insulted me, my husband, and our guest. You know nothing of me or my family, so stay in your place.” She turned to Cab. “Cab, I have to ask you to move your car.”

  “Why?” Cab asked. He didn’t do anything. Why was she kicking him out?

  “Because your guest is leaving. Didn’t she come with you?” Cat turned and walked out of the room.

  Cassandra huffed and sprang to her feet. “I was only trying to help,” she retorted like a whiny brat.

  Zoey looked at the clueless Cassandra and decided to get her two cents in. If it was up to her, they’d be kicking her butt right now. “Let me give you a little advice Barbie. Insults do not help to gain friendship, but everybody here knows that you are not looking for a friend, you are looking for a rich benefactor, whether it be male or female. Don’t get it twisted, Cat is not some gullible housewife, and I’d advise you to remember that. Now, you have a good night you hear?” Feeling vindicated for both herself and Cat, Zoey followed her friend out of the room.

  Cassandra turned on her stiletto heels and stomped her way to the foyer. “Cab!” She snapped.

  Cab looked at his family. “Sorry,” he said, turning and walking towards the foyer.

  When the door closed, his brothers fell over laughing.

  “A match made in heaven,” Satch laughed.

  Cab handed Cassandra her wrap and led her to the limo that was waiting for them.

  “Cab, I don’t think I like your sisters very much,” she admitted.

  “That’s too bad. Come on and I’ll take you back to your hotel.”

  He slid into the limo beside Cassandra, and before he could tell the driver where to go, Cassandra had lifted her designer dress and straddled him.

  “Cassandra not now,” he growled. He looked at her for a second, and after changing his mind, grabbed her head and kissed her deeply, searching for a spark that she could always ignite. If anyone could keep thoughts of Dana at bay, Cassandra could. Just then, Cassandra purred, and the sound of it nearly made him sick to his stomach. He lifted her off him, sat her in the seat next to him, and told the driver where they wanted to go.

  Cassandra laid her head on his shoulder. “Stay with me tonight,” she said seductively, moving her hand up his thigh. Cab closed his hand over hers and stopped its movement.

  “No.”

  “Why not?” She whined.

  “I have to get up early,” he said, sounding disinterested and looking out the window.

  Cassandra sucked her teeth. “I’m not surprised,” she said snidely. “You always did put everything before me. It’s no wonder we broke up!”

  Cab looked over at her and his eyes hardened. “What the hell was I thinking hooking up with your devious, selfish ass? It wasn’t me that broke us up, it was you screwing my best friend that broke us up, or did you forget that?”

  “Well, if you would have stayed in baseball I…” This close to telling Cab the truth, Cassandra caught herself and stopped talking. She had chosen Cab to be her benefactor because of his obvious wealth and connections, but right now, she was in danger of ruining everything because of her big mouth. Even if she wanted to, there simply wasn’t enough time for her to start over from scratch with somebody new. Deciding that she’d best play it cool for the time being, she turned to Cab with tears in her eyes and sung a different tune. “I know I hurt you Cab, but I was disappointed that you wanted to retire. I got drunk, and well, Sonny took advantage of me,” she lied.

  “Look Cassandra, that’s past history. We will never have what we used to because of it, and I personally want to thank you for making me the cynical and heartless bastard that I am today. I thought I could deal with this, but no more Cassandra. I’ve given you enough power over me.”

  When the limo pulled to the curb of the hotel, Cab helped Cassandra out of the limo and walked to the door. Without so much as a goodnight, or even a grandma kiss on the cheek, he turned and got back into the limo, leaving a stunned Cassandra standing at the door and watching the limo blended back into traffic. She stomped her foot and made a declaration, even though both Cab and the limo were now several blocks away.

  “This is not over yet Cab Howard!” She yelled out, shaking her fist in the direction of the traveling limo. “You should know better than anyone that when I go after something I usually get it!”

  Chapter 7

  Satch stood in the baggage claim awaiting the incoming flight from Philadelphia International Airport. He was pleasantly surprised when Jared Grant called to tell him that he was coming to join him at the convention in LA, and he wanted the young man to see for himself what it was all about if he decided to sign with HWC or any other firm. He had to stay on his toes while Jared was here at the convention though, or else every other agent in the place would try to pilfer his potential client. He could hardly blame them. Jared was in his last year of college and the pro teams were chafing at the bit to sign him. He was the starting quarterback for Penn State University, and the arm on that boy had led the team to 13-1 season. With the on-going controversy at Penn State casting a dark and gloomy pall on the school’s football program, Jared made it out just before the NCAA banned the school from going to any bowl games.

  Another reason Jared was such a hot commodity amongst agents and pro teams alike, was that even though his talent that got him a f
ull scholarship to attend the University, academically he was a pure, unadulterated genius. When he graduates, it will definitely be with honors in the field of biology, and if he didn’t want to play football, he could easily find a high profile job at any pharmaceutical firm or research center he wanted. HWC highly encouraged their clients to use their educations to have off-season careers, but if a client chose not to and decided to have fun instead, they encouraged them not to do anything during the off-season that would ruin their brand. They had no problem whatsoever with partying, so long as it was done in moderation, but they did have a problem with over-indulgence. Any of their clients that did not follow the Howard/Whalen Creed™, as it became known, were first warned and then dropped, no exceptions.

  It was because of this creed that most professional athletes fell all over themselves to get representation from the Howard Brothers. Most realized that the lifespan of a professional athlete was a short one and this creed, which could be summed up in four simple statements, gave them the best chance of maximizing their earning potential while they played. First and foremost, respect yourself and others at all times. Second, large egos are frowned upon and will be exorcised. If that is not possible, you will no longer be a client. Third, the door is always open. At any time, day or night, a client has access to an agent. Fourth, and perhaps the most important rule of them all, we got your back.

  In return, the brothers expected their clients to be honest, filled with integrity, truthful, self-confident, and humble in all they did both during the season and off. No one player was bigger than any other in their eyes, and everyone got equal and fair time with his agents. Everyone in the profession knew HWC’s clientele, and for those members that didn’t walk the line, they had a strict punishment system put in place. If you missed practice, both the team and the brothers fined you and it was the same punishment if you were drunken and disorderly while out in public. As far as they were concerned, anyone unwilling to work for their own greater good, was not HWC material and was immediately shown the door. And as past incidents would attest, anyone who hadn’t followed the Howard/Whalen Creed and were dropped, wished they had. Once you were dismissed, you were not welcomed back.

  As he watched the number of people coming into the baggage claim area suddenly pick up, Satch kept a constant eye out for Jared. Convincing him that he and HWC would be a perfect fit was the easy part, but convincing his pit-bull of a sister that HWC had Jared’s best wishes at heart was a different matter altogether.

  Satch smiled when he saw a very large young man towering over all the people riding down the escalator to the baggage claim, and when Jared saw Satch he waved with a grin on his handsome face. His coffee-tone brown skin shone with strength, health, and youth, and at six-eight, the young man was like a lumberjack and had the physique to match. He was having a phenomenal year, and sports agents and athletic coaches were anonymously coming from all over the country to see him play so as not to jeopardize his amateur status.

  “Hey Jay, I’m glad you could make man. There’s so much I want to show about the business and what to expect out of any agent or manager you come in contact with,” Satch said as he shook his hand.

  “That’s great Mr. Howard. I really want to know what it’s all about before I sign with anyone. Ishaan will probably kill me for coming, but I’m a grown man now. I don’t need her holding my hand.”

  “Man, please tell me that you didn’t let your sister know you were coming to LA.?” Satch groaned.

  ”I left her a note. If I had told her she would have stopped me from coming. You don’t know my sister Mr. Howard. She’s tiny, but she’s tough!”

  Satch rubbed his hand over his head and sighed. “Call her and tell her you’re with me so she doesn’t worry,” Satch said, extending him his phone.

  “You call her,” Jared quickly replied, pushing the phone back to him.

  Satch looked at him with bewilderment. He couldn’t believe that this oversized man was actually scared of his sister. Finding a secluded area that put them out of the way of terminal traffic, Satch placed the call.

  “Put her on speaker,” Jared said.

  Satch pressed in the number and waited for an answer while inwardly praying that she didn’t pick up.

  “Jared!” She shouted into the phone. Both men froze. Jared waved his hand for Satch to talk.

  “Jared, I know you better say something!” Ishaan Grant shouted.

  “Miss Grant, this is Satch Howard.”

  “I just know that this isn’t that agent that keeps trying to corrupt my little brother is it?”

  “Yes… I mean no,” Satch quickly corrected.

  “I must not have made myself clear! You and your kind are to stay away from my brother! I know all you people see are dollar signs. Let me tell you something; my brother is not going to be putting your behinds in mansions while he’s being ripped off, and then, when it’s all said and done and he no longer has a career or god forbid gets injured, you put him out to pasture with nothing and go on to the next sucker and drain them. Well Mr. whatever your name is, I am not having it. Now where is my brother?”

  “Ish, I’m here with Mr. Howard,” Jared spoke up.

  “Where is here Jared?”

  Jared swallowed loudly. LA.”

  “LA! What are you doing in LA?”

  “Mr. Howard invited us to the sport convention. I thought that if I learned how the business works, I would be better prepared when I went pro. I left your ticket there. Come on Ish, fly out here so we can learn how it works together.”

  Ishaan was silent. “Ish?” Jared spoke looking at Satch and half wondering if she had hung up.

  Tired of this woman’s nonstop bullying of her brother, Satch set the record straight. “Look Miss Grant this is an opportunity for Jay. He will have the opportunity to meet rookies and seasoned player who’ve been in the business for years and who come from all sports genres. While he is here, he will learn the pros and cons of having a manager and agent. There also are many consultant firms here exhibiting their companies, and there are seminars dealing with subjects such as sport law and medicine. Here Jared will see, and you as well should you decide to come, what each company offers without having them stalking after Jared and telling him anything they think he wants to hear just to get him to sign with them. This will be the only time agents cannot hound the players that chose to come to the convention. In other words, there will be absolutely no contractual meetings.”

  “Come on Ish. Come to LA and we can learn all these things together,” Jared beseeched his sister.

  “Boy, you know I got my shop to run! I can’t just close up and fly to LA,” she said stubbornly.

  “Aw come on Ish. You own the place! You can always say that you’re going on vacation. If I remember correctly, you have never been on a vacation.”

  “And let Sariah take my clients? I don’t think so,” Ishaan said firmly.

  “As good as you are, you know they’ll come running back after she’s mess up their weaves,” Jared chuckled.

  Ishaan laughed. “You know what Jared? You’re lucky I love you boy.”

  Jared grinned at Satch and gave him the thumbs up.

  “So when are you coming?” Jared asked.

  Ishaan gave a loud sigh into the phone. “I guess I’ll fly out tomorrow. Who’s going to meet me at the airport?”

  “Mr. Howard and I will be here waiting. I can’t wait until you meet him Sis, he really is a great guy,” Jared extolled.

  “Umm hmmm,” she grunted. “We shall see.”

  “Miss Grant just let us know your flight info and we will be here to pick you up,” Satch promised.

  “I will. Now Jared I know you are a grown man. I’m just going to say don’t get caught up in all the hype. Please? For me sweetie?” Ishaan said sweetly to her brother. “You’ve come a long way baby, and you’ve got even further to go.”

  “I know Ish, can’t wait to see you out of the salon. Love you,” Jared said

/>   “Me too baby, see you soon.”

  “You better watch over my brother and not lead him down that forbidden path Mr. Howard or you will have me to deal with. Got it?” She growled.

  “Don’t worry I’ve got your brother’s best interest at heart,” Satch said sincerely.

  “You hear that yadda yadda Jared? They all say that! Best interest my eye. Love you Jared,” she disconnected.

  Jared looked at Satch and grinned sheepishly. “That’s my sister.”

  Satch shook his head. He was not in the mood to babysit some over protective, bad attitude having, overbearing sister. This conference was not going to be much fun; he could see it coming. “I have a suite reserved for the two of you, but if it’s all the same with you, I want you to stay with me until your sister arrives,” Satch explained as the two men walked away. He was taking no chances.

  Ishaan hung up the phone. She didn’t care how good his deep, melodiously smooth voice sounded, that Howard guy was not getting his claws into her brother.

  “Who was that Ish?” Chloe her best friend asked. Girl you were giving them what for,” she chuckled.

  “It’s that Howard guy that keeps trying to sign Jared before he is even offered a team. I am not about to let them take advantage of my baby brother. I didn’t raise him and make sacrifice for him to be used to make some other man richer,” she complained as she turned Chloe’s head to finish trimming her ends.

  “I know that’s right. And speaking of right, now that Jared Grant is all grown up, it’s time for Ishaan Marie Grant to get a life and get herself a man,” her friend advised.

  “Please chil’ I had one of them once. Turned out he wasn’t much of a man at all. I don’t ever want to experience that again, so no thank you very much.”

  “Yeah but that was in 2002, and yes, Barry wasn’t shit, but you are pushing thirty-two hard chick, and it’s time to let a little someone explore that Sahara desert you got between your legs,” Chloe laughed.

  “Yeah, and you need to let a little someone give your Sahara desert time to dry,” Ishaan countered.