Undisclosed Desire (The Complete Box Set

by Falon Gold

  “Martin!” she howls. “Don’t encourage him not to take over his responsibilities!”

  “Well, there’s her answer that no one solicited,” I state sarcastically, with a grin. “The Power’s empire isn’t my responsibility. It’s whoever started it, all for the prestige and power that they bring for the family. And you need someone to keep that alive. I’m an afterthought. You’ve missed all the things that count in life which is why you can’t give it. You’ll be begging for it on your death bed. You won’t get it because father will be throwing a party for his deceased daughter just like you taught him to do.”

  She clutches her damn pearls. “You take that back, Blake.”

  “Why? It’s the truth. What you denied me will be exactly what you need on your dying day? Until then, you’ll continue to be the dragon that burns up everything good around you. And I’m fine with that. I’ve made my peace with it. You should too. I’m getting out at the next stop. It hasn’t been fabulous talking with you all. Have a good life anyway.”

  “Just wait a minute, Blake,” Camron pleads. “You haven’t given me a chance to do better by our family relations, and I do wish we were tighter cousins. It’s time-consuming to run a business, which is why you haven’t seen me. I haven’t left Candleton since I started my business there, so at least spend some time with me if not your parents. I didn’t even get to meet Astrid, so you don’t know how I’ll treat her, which will be as if she’s a human with feelings because she’s important to you. All you have to do is let me prove it. Little Blake should get to know someone from his father’s side anyway. It’ll be a privilege if it was me.”

  Dragon lady puffs up. “Camron, I didn’t bring you here for this.” The shutting down of all things good is in progress.

  “No, you didn’t, Aunt Ashley, but you can’t control me anymore than you can Blake. That’s what this is about. Control, and apparently, you’re not getting it, so let it go. I’ll still show Blake the resort because I keep my promises, but I want to be a part of his new family even if you don’t. I’m going to if he lets me.”

  Well, I’ll be damn. Camron, the billionaire playboy, may be outgrowing his family’s vigorous training of how the world show bow down to him while he takes it by the horns. His parents raised him the way mine tried to do to me. He fell in line with what they wanted after he grew up, increasing the Powers’ legacy by starting an umbrella company under the parent company in Italy that his parents still run. He didn’t have the Owens to open his eyes, so I can show at least him some compassion. It’s the right thing to do, until it isn’t.

  “Fine, Camron. We’ll tour the construction site, but not with them. I’ve had all I can take of these Powers. In one hour, I’m going back to Astrid.”

  “Blake,” she begins.

  Father seizes her elbow. “Let it go, Ashley. You’ve done enough damage.”

  “What? Martin, you don’t speak to me that way. What has gotten into you?”

  He looks at me for a moment. “Some sense. We’ll drop them off and send the car back for them. You and I need to talk at home, Ashley, and it’s past time for it. You are so not going to like this conversation.”

  Father putting his feet down? Shit just got entertaining. I cross my arms and get comfortable in my seat, predicting fireworks from the dragon lady.

  Camron shakes his head. “Blake, do you have a picture of Astrid?”

  I scrounge for my phone, prompt the screensaver while the parents hiss words at each other like cobras.

  Camron examines her picture, gets melancholic as if he’s thinking of someone who’s too far away, then returns the phone. “She’s beautiful. I’d like to meet her today, if you’re okay with it.”

  “She is beautiful, eight months pregnant, and I should be with her right now instead of dealing with this. You are welcome to meet her if it’s okay with her. If it isn’t, she’ll let us know. Trust me.”

  “Well, I’m glad you came. We had some good times as kids. Hopefully, we’ll pick up where we left off.” It’s more like we got cut off, by the dragon lady.

  “We did have good times, Camron. We must have been getting too close.”

  He nods slowly. “I think that’s what the Powers do best, corrupt. They damn sure got your mother good. She forgot she’s from the back side of Spindle.”

  Now, that’s breaking news, everyone. “How did I not know this?” I ask, thoroughly intrigued.

  She freaks out, flailing her arms. “Why the hell did you tell him that, Camron?”

  He laughs. “She never meant for you to find out, Blake. That’s how you didn’t know.”

  “I’m right here!” she shouts. “I haven’t been from Spindle in thirty years!”

  Father rucks up his lips. “That’s the problem, Ashley, you forgot your roots and I let you. Now, my son hates me.”

  I take a good look at the mother. All her prestige and power, she inherited by marriage. I never thought about how she obtained it, so it never occurred to me that she had to carve a niche into the Powers and society—she just seemed to fit right in to a little boy that never knew any different. I think my father is about to demolish the life she’s made after leaving everyone behind… in Spindle. I bet I have family there too, and it’s sad I never knew they existed before now.

  The car slows down, and I prepare to let myself out. The atmosphere in the immaculate car is completely unclean with the dirt that’s been swept from under rugs that have been nailed down. Camron lets himself out on the other side. Steel beams challenge the height of the mountains in the distance, jutting out of framework nowhere near to being finished, several hundred feet back from the road that we begin following. White bricks are partially covering the first three floors, the only ones that have walls. My gut starts to eat on itself.

  “Why are we really here, Camron?” I ask cagily.

  “You know why.” He puts his hands in his pockets.

  “This is supposed to be my umbrella company, isn’t it?”

  I don’t need a response. The secret’s out.

  “Yep, ten floors for the elite to sun themselves under artificial lights, eat hundred-dollar dinner plates with not enough to food to fill up a puppy, and drink wine and champagne that cost more than I pay my personal assistant every month. She’s here by the way with some of that wine on the first floor. We were supposed to have brunch with your parents here and discuss who would design the interior. The supposedly great ones must be booked a year in advance, and you would approve a budget for that and negotiate your CEO salary. It would’ve started at one million a year, topped out at two. The first number you picked is what you were going to be stuck with until this place was in the black. You also needed to decide what to do with the contracted construction company. As you can see, no one is here working, and they’ve fallen behind. Ashley thinks they’re ripping us off and she wanted you to—”

  “To whip them into shape or let them go.”

  “Correct. Being a businessman is in your blood, Blake.”

  “I choose not to utilize it. Why are you still endorsing for the parents?”

  “As of right now, I’m endorsing for Astrid and your son. Shouldn’t you take every opportunity to give them opportunities? Only money can do that, but I’m not saying you have to conform to your parents’ every want, or even enter their circle. It’s not like you’ll be using your parents for what they have to take care of your family. Ashley and Martin are literally trying to throw you down and make you take a better life that you can shape how you want to. It doesn’t hurt that you have a career to fall back on if they get out of hand with the manipulating. I don’t have a plan B, like a law enforcement career, and it’s the stupidest thing I ever done. I think.”

  He has a point; Astrid deserves a castle, too. “You forgetting the parents don’t want my choice of family near theirs. I’m not leaving Astrid and my son behind for anyone. The parents will insist on that. Trust me.”

  “Your mother will, but your father seems to be
jumping ship, which leaves your mother powerless. Technically, the companies are his, and they have a prenup. She gets nothing if he divorces her. If they want you to take a company for yourself so badly, sounds like your family is a serious bargaining chip, isn’t it?”

  “They are but Astrid wants nothing to do with them. I wouldn’t make anyone deal with the dragon lady and her sidekick.”

  Camron laughs and enters the opening in the first floor that will be the front entry for the resort, one day. “I think Astrid would deal with them for you, and from what I heard about her, she’s pretty damn good at putting the dragon lady and her sidekick in their places. Ashley was furious when she called me last night. Did Astrid really tell Ashley that Martin should make her eat a sandwich?”

  “Yes, and the arguing was stressful for Astrid. She’s a sweet woman with a matching nature, and no one is going to make her unhappy.”

  “You’re extremely protective of her, so make sure everyone gets along by not having them in the same room ever. Do you really want the dragon lady anywhere near your son after her history with you?” Or his parents’ history with him. Money seems to make for bad parenting skills in this family.

  “Not even in the slightest, Camron.”

  “There you go then. Amari!”

  Footsteps emanate at the back of the building with free-standing barriers sprouting up from the floor. Zig-zagging around them is a slender woman with caramel-skin, an hour-glass figure, and flats below her tan skirt suit. She stops in front of Camron, peering up at him with the same evil eye I was bestowing on my bullet vest.

  “Yes, Mr. Powers.” Her tone could cut glass.

  The wistfulness that Camron displayed while looking at Astrid’s picture sloshes off him in currents.

  He’s got a thing for his assistant.

  “Meet Blake Powers. Blake, Amari Spencer. You can pack up everything but two glasses of champagne, Amari. Bring them while we wait for the car. The brunch is cancelled and we’ll be leaving shortly. Hurry up.”

  Her dark eyes train on me and snap at us both now, though, I can see the relief in hers as well. She does not want to be here. Me either, and Camron is her reason why. He’s an idiot.

  “Nice to meet you, Mr. Powers.”

  Yeah, well, I don’t think so, thanks to Camron’s rude ass.

  “Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Spencer. I can help you with packing if you need it.”

  Her face opens up with her astonishment. “Uh, no, but thank you. This is my job. I’ll be right back with your champagne, and it’s just Amari. I’m not married.” She goes back the way she came.

  When she’s out of sight, Camron whirls around on me. “Why in the world did you offer to help her, Blake?”

  “Why didn’t you?”

  “Because I pay her to be my assistant, so she assists, which is following orders, and I pay her very damn well for it. Oh, and I want to extend an invitation to you and Astrid. You guys should come visit me in New York. I’ll even spring for the plane tickets and hotel. I don’t care about Astrid and the baby being who they are.”

  “No, you wouldn’t care, Camron, not with the way you keep looking at your personal assistant.” Who loathes him, but I’m not one to gossip. “I’ll ask Astrid if she wants to visit you after she meets you.”

  “She’ll want to visit me, Blake.”

  I chuckle. “Why? Because you’re you?”

  He grins, his ego sitting on his left shoulder like a miniature devil. “Well yes, of course.”

  I take it back. Pompous Camron hasn’t changed; everyone is still here to fulfill his wishes. He’s been ruined. Since I know where to place the blame for that and he’s not prejudiced like the parents, I laugh at him.

  “Get over yourself, Camron.”

  His lips widen. “Why in the hell would I do that?”

  Amari brings back the champagne. She smiles and distributes a flute to me first. “Thank you, Amari.”

  “You’re welcome, Mr. Powers.”

  “Call me Blake.”

  “Will do, Blake.”

  When she hands over Camron’s, they’re both frowning. Amari double-times it out of there. I clink my glass against his.

  “You get over yourself, Camron, so you can stop mooning over your assistant. You’ll never get her with that ‘thy is your king’ attitude your parents taught you. She’s your equal, looking for a man with manners to walk beside not behind. ‘Please’ and ‘thank you’ go a long way towards building relationships. Money only gets you an employee, but don’t listen to me. I’m just a Sheriff in a small town with not much money in the bank.”

  He’s all eyes for Amari’s backside that’s been out of sight. “We can change the balance of your bank account, Blake, but you’ve got to give something to get something better.”

  Better? As if what I have isn’t good enough. Now, I’m pissy.

  “Don’t make me feel ungrateful for what I’ve worked my ass off for, Camron. No, I don’t have millions in the bank, but I pay my bills ahead of time every month, and can afford to raise a family and give them everything they need.”

  “Well, I want you to give them the world. A sheriff’s salary isn’t going to cut it. After your term is up, and you don’t get re-elected, what then? Are you going to take a pay cut and work as a deputy? Or move to another town and run for sheriff there? You can float from job to job when you’re single. This resort is stability, exactly what Astrid and your son will need for their lifetime.” They don’t need the Powers.

  “Camron, if it was any other family, I could take your advice. The Powers are cutthroat, self-important, and uppity. Those are their best qualities.”

  “Change has to start with someone, and giving Ashley and Martin the cold-shoulder only draws them to you. Your parents will leave you alone if you do this. You can give your family everything. This place already has a clientele because the snobs are followers and the Powers are leaders. Whatever else Ashley and Martin demand of you, you just refuse. It’s been working so far because you have your dream job and your girl. The best part is I can teach you what you don’t know about the business so you don’t run it into the ground while I beat your ass at poker.”

  I’ll be damned if his subtle arm-twisting isn’t working. Being out of a job, if the next election doesn’t pan out, won’t be a problem. The baby’s college fund won’t have to be saved a few pennies at a time. Astrid can live anywhere she wants to. She won’t have to work if she chooses. I’ll provide like I’m supposed to.

  “First off, you can quit with the jokes, Camron. You don’t have the attention span required to beat me at cards. Second, I’ll have to talk to Astrid. If she isn’t with this, neither am I.

  “Good man. Call her now. Set up the brunch at the station so we can chat and eat.” He downs his drink then eyeballs the empty flute. “Amari! Bring the rest of the champagne! Change of plans! We’re eating at the sheriff’s department! That’s going to be interesting!” He walks off. “Are you done packing yet? The car’s coming soon! What is taking you so long, woman?”

  Poor Amari.

  Poor Camron. He’ll have the money without the girl until the day he dies or he changes. One is much more likely than the other, and I pity him, but he is damn entertaining.

  ********

  Astrid

  The scribbling on my notepad stops when my phone rings in the bottom drawer of Blake’s desk. I don’t care if it’s a telemarketer calling, I’m answering. It’s just too lonely in the station without Blake livening up the place with his personality. Meagan’s daughter is still sick, so she’s homebound. Councilman Alder has been long gone, sticking around long enough to inquire about my plan for getting Blake back in uniform, how many more deputies I’ll need during my time as acting Sheriff, and to present me with a maternity-sized uniform he had shipped overnight. Copper is on patrol all day since there’s no one else to do it.

  Blake’s name scrolls across my screen.

  I swipe the accept icon too hard and fumble
the phone. “Hey, baby. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, love. Why are you breathing so hard? I need to talk to you about something.”

  There isn’t supposed to be anything to talk about, unless… the Powers have got their hooks in him.

  A throb shoots between my eyebrows. My heart takes a header into my stomach, which skydives into my black clogs. My grip on the phone slackens. It clatters onto the desktop face up.

  “Astrid!” The earpiece evicts his anguish. “Baby!”

  “I’m here. Just wait, Blake.”

  I aim for the speakerphone button and punch the mute instead. Several times, I try with bloodless fingertips and miss, damn near have dialed another number before I hit the right icon.

  “What are you doing, Astrid?”

  “Nothing, just say what you have to, so I can make some calls before the rental offices close. And call my parents to have them send my furniture from Harrison.” All missions impossible if I’m still numb after this conversation is over.

  “Rental? Sweetheart, it’s not what you think! I want to do this face to face and introduce you to someone.”

  What?

  “Who?”

  “My cousin.”

  “He’s a Powers too, isn’t he?” Which means another altercation with his family. Fuck!

  “Yes, he’s family. Just meet him, hear what we have to say then decide if our plan is something you can live with.” Good God. What are they up to? Can’t be anything good if they need to talk to me.

  “I don’t want to have to live without you, Blake.” I will if he wants me to associate with his people.

  Yes, my existence will amount to simply taking up space on the planet and overcompensating with Little Blake for failing to keep Blake in our lives, but it’s better than going toe to toe with bigots every time I’m in their crosshairs. Been there. Done that. Got the T-shirt, and burned that bitch when I put Harrison in my rearview mirror three years ago, sick of the prejudice.

  “You won’t have to live without me ever, Astrid, no matter what you decide. Now, take a break, please. I’m down the street. Meet me outside the station.”