Wicked Dynasty: The Untouchables | Book Two

by Vincent, Callie

  “I wish you the best of luck then,” I said.

  Before I could get sucked into the battle with Molly anymore, I darted for my mother and the cluster of women I’d seen a few minutes before. My cheeks were flushed. I could feel the heat as I walked quickly through the guests. Just because I’d been able to play it cool in front of Molly didn’t mean a damn thing. My heart was beating so fast I was sure it would stop long before its time.

  I wanted to trust Dakota, and I did, but I wasn’t quite as confident with Molly hanging around. I’d nearly made it through the crowd when another familiar face made me slow down. There was no way he was looking for anyone else. His beady gaze locked onto mine before I could look away and pretend like I hadn’t seen him trying to catch my attention. I suppressed a groan as David smiled at me and stepped directly into my path.

  “I was just on my way to speak with my mother. You’ll have to excuse me but thank you for coming to the party,” I said quickly.

  “Oh, you’re welcome. I wouldn’t miss the chance to be here again for the world.”

  My stomach lurched. “When exactly was the last time you were here, David? Maybe we should talk about that. Or are you still telling people you don’t remember where you were that night?”

  “Are you enjoying your party?” he asked.

  “You didn’t answer my question,” I snapped. “Why don’t you tell me the last time you were here? What are you after?”

  He grinned. “I was taking pictures. Don’t you remember? You were here with Dakota.”

  My cheeks blushed. “This conversation was a bad idea, I should really go. I’m not supposed to be speaking with anyone connected to the blackmail attempts.”

  “Blackmail attempts? Funny, I didn’t think any demands had been made yet. Did something change? You poor thing, you can’t let your handler know the secret, now can you?” he whispered.

  “What secret?” I snapped. “You know what? I’m done with your games.”

  His laugh was dark and menacing. “Oh, Audrey, our games are just beginning.”

  Inside my purse, the fourth phone I’d purchased through Greta vibrated. A knowing smile creased David’s face as my heart plummeted.

  9

  Kylan

  I’d watched the two men go inside the garage from the security app on my phone as I waited for Audrey outside the kitchen.

  She was proving to be an incredibly stubborn woman. Still, I had to admire how resilient she was. The minutes slowly passed as the unease in my stomach started to grow. Audrey had no way to get out of the kitchen without me seeing her leave from the camera positioned at the front door, but it still didn’t ease my mind.

  Unable to stand there idly anymore and knowing I had cameras on her, I made my way around the side of the house to where it opened to the front yard. There was nowhere for the Hartley brothers to go except directly back in my path when they left the garage. It was driving me insane, not knowing what they were doing inside.

  I crept closer, listening for any noise from the other side but heard nothing. There were no hushed whispers as I'd expected to hear from their covert conversation. Suddenly the sound of approaching footsteps alerted me to their arrival on the other side, yet they seem to come out of nowhere. I took several steps back, doing my best to appear casual in the process. The door swung open, both men instantly falling silent when they saw me.

  “Did you boys have a nice conversation?” I asked.

  Dakota glared at me. “Shouldn’t you be sniffing around Audrey, Klaus?”

  “She’s waiting for me, like a good girl. You two are the ones I’m worried about. You don’t seem to know when to stay away. Even when everyone wants you to.”

  “I wouldn’t be so cocky. You don’t know the first thing about Audrey. She won’t put up with you following her around,” Declan said.

  “Wow, you two are like a broken record. I'd suggest you worry about your own problems and not mine. Audrey and I will be hitting it off soon enough.”

  “Why don’t you and that whore sister of yours –”

  “Dakota!” Declan snapped. “This isn’t the time or place to waste energy on this leech. Enjoy the party, Kylan.”

  “Leaving so soon?” I asked. “She hasn’t even cut the cake yet.”

  “We have what we came for,” Dakota growled. “Let’s go.”

  I was happy when they turned and headed for the long black limousine that waited to take them away. Yet the conversation had ended on a strange note. What did Dakota mean? Had it come from the younger Hartley, I'd have assumed seeing Audrey was enough to wet his panties. Still, Dakota Hartley never spoke without intent and forethought.

  There was a meaning behind his words.

  There was still one more person I wanted to talk to before the evening’s events finished up. I quickly scanned the crowd and found the other Hartley brother. The third to be entangled in the scandal. He was standing near Hazel and a few others that I recognized only from the dossier I’d been given by the Secret Service. As I made my way over to the cluster of people, Derek sensed my approach and turned. His eyes narrowed as he stepped away from the group. I had to give it to him; the kid was intuitive and surprisingly brave.

  I knew he had to know a great deal about me, considering his close relationship with his brothers. Yet he stood his ground as I approached, giving him the grin I’d cultivated over the years that intimidated most men easily. Derek rolled his shoulders back, one hand rising to his hip as he arched his brow. A radiant smile of his own beamed back at me. A seed of respect formed inside of me for the young man. It was easy to see how he and Audrey were best friends.

  "I was wondering when you’d come looking for me," Derek said.

  I chuckled. "Do you wanna talk out here, or would you prefer if we were in private?"

  "That’s up to you, sweetheart. I have no problems with my reputation. You’re the one slipping off with a publicly gay man," Derek whispered.

  I burst into laughter, clapping the young man on the shoulder as we set off towards the gardens. Finally, I genuinely liked a Hartley, even if we were working against each other in a sense. We walked in silence until we were out of earshot from the rest of the party. As we strolled, I wondered how best to start the conversation with him. He knew Audrey better than anyone else, except perhaps her mother. Having him on my side would be a huge advantage.

  "You know you’re running this show, right?" Derek asked. "You really should try asking me a question or something. That’s usually how these friendly interrogations go."

  I grinned again. “What do you want out of life?”

  His brows arched, but the young man didn’t miss a beat as he spoke. “I haven't really given it much thought. I always just assumed I would go into politics like my father.”

  “Is that where your heart is at?” I asked. “You don’t seem like the political type.”

  “I’d enjoy making a difference in the world, but maybe not as a politician. I’ve thought about returning to school for a law degree. I couldn’t believe the lack of rights the LGQTB community still has to compete with.”

  “I think you’d excel there. Why haven't you gone back yet? The fall semester will be starting soon, if I'm not mistaken?”

  Derek eyed me warily. “Is that your angle? Try and get me away from the situation?”

  I shook my head. “Not at all. You just strike me as out of place here. Hell, I’d love to have you on the campaign trail with myself and the Adams women, but I don’t think your parents would like that much.”

  “I'm sure I’d be of no use,” Derek said.

  “Bull, Audrey loves you like family. You’d put her at ease and make my life considerably less challenging for the next few weeks. Since that’s not an option, though, I’d recommend you follow your dreams. However, if you did decide to join us, you could look at different colleges on the road.”

  “Why should I trust you? Having me along seems like it would muddle up whatever scheme you have cooking
.”

  I grinned. “I guess there is only one way for you to find out, right?”

  Derek eyed me but said nothing as we started back for the party. As I’d expected, everyone seemed to be watching us as we returned, but the gaze that sent a chill through me was that of the first lady. She hated my presence there almost as much as her sons. I was sure she thought Derek would be safe from my inquiries since he’d come out of the closet. I’d been telling Derek the truth when I told him I wanted him to join us. If he was in DC, it would be simple for him to coordinate a rendezvous between Audrey and the other two.

  I’d seen his role in the situation almost from the very beginning. Derek was the peacemaker. He managed to soothe both his brothers’ tempers when they would otherwise fuel the flames. Of course, the young man was wise not to trust me. He had no one to blame but himself if he decided to join us on the road. If he couldn’t see what a vital asset he was for Dakota and Declan, that was his own fault. Maybe he’d actually leave the family and go back to school. The second Derek left me, his mother started her approach.

  I’d been nothing but cautious and considerate with the Hartleys, but the first lady was too high-strung for my liking. Quickly darting over to where Audrey stood, I tugged the young woman away from her conversation and started for the main house. She was less than thrilled, but the ploy worked, and the first lady abandoned her mission. Audrey jerked her arm away and glared at me, stomping back to her friends. I slipped into the house where I could work on the mystery of how the collective was communicating while keeping a close watch on Audrey via camera.

  * * *

  “Well, I think you can safely call that party a smashing success,” Molly said. “I’m surprised the brothers didn’t give you more trouble.”

  I sighed. “It feels like I missed something. Did you check her call history?”

  Molly nodded. “For the third time, yes. Nothing has changed. A few texts between her and her friends but no one with the Hartley last name.”

  “They could be using aliases,” I muttered.

  “Which is why every contact has already been verified and cleared through the Secret Service. You may have to consider that the trio split up. I know you’d prefer if they were all still miserable, but the lines have been dead since our arrival.”

  “Now, doesn’t it strike you as bizarre that she has cut out Derek as well? That’s supposed to be her best friend, yet they haven’t spoken in days?”

  Molly shrugged. “You sure seem to be digging your heels in on this one.”

  “I know what I’m talking about. I saw the way they looked at each other. There’s still something going on.”

  “So what? You leave tomorrow for the campaign trail. I don’t think anything will get by you out there.”

  I shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, I need you to do something for me while you’re here. I need you to get close to Dakota again.”

  “Over my dead body –”

  “Just hear me out,” I said. “I don’t need you to sleep with him. Just get some pictures and do a little extra padding on his career.”

  "Have you lost your damn mind? Why in God’s name would I help that man’s career? Do you remember what he did to me?"

  I groaned. "Yes, of course, I remember what Dakota did to you. Just like I remember what he did to me. That doesn’t change the fact that for right now, our job is to make Hazel Adams look like a saint right along with her daughter. The only way we’re going to keep Audrey away from the Hartley brothers is if she thinks they don't care about her."

  "And what the hell are you going to be doing while I am playing sleepover with Dakota Hartley?"

  "I’m going to be driving the nail into the coffin for Declan Hartley. All it took was one look at that kid and, I could tell he was hopelessly in love with her. He won’t be swayed by you or anyone else. We need to convince him that Audrey is just using him and his brother."

  "So you really think that they are still a thing?" Molly asked.

  "Without a doubt," I muttered.

  I didn’t know how the three of them were doing it, but I could smell a fraud a mile away. All three of them reeked of deception. I could see the attraction that the men had to Audrey Adams. Apart from being absolutely stunningly beautiful, she was vivacious, intelligent, and driven. Finding a woman like her in any other situation would have given me a reason to chase after her. As it was, I had to remind myself constantly that she was off-limits. It didn’t matter that we shared the same fantasy of multiple lovers; she was the forbidden fruit that I could never taste.

  Molly sighed. "Alright, you seem to have some intuition about this. When we first started this project, I told you that I was going to let you take the lead, and I plan on sticking to that. If you need me to charm Dakota Hartley and boost him up, that’s what I’ll do."

  "Thank you," I said.

  "Don’t thank me just yet," she grumbled. "If you fuck this up, I’ll be the first one to throw you under the bus with dad. This is a cut-throat world. I hope, for your sake, your instincts are right.”

  10

  Dakota

  I could think of a thousand things I would rather be doing than walking down the busy halls of the White House.

  The last-minute meeting my father had called struck me as suspicious. I’d been relatively content with his banishment since he discovered my true feelings for Audrey. I hadn’t planned on speaking to him again for several months, or until his childish silent treatment had ended.

  Yet there I was, as nervous as the first time I set foot in those hallowed halls. Ignoring the sideways glances from my father’s staff, I knocked on his door before walking in. Instantly I felt queasy as I saw that my father and I were not going to be alone. I regretted agreeing to the meeting, but it was too late to back out now.

  Taking a seat across from Molly Klaus, I glared at the woman before turning to my father. He looked rather pleased with himself, causing my jaw to clench as I fought the urge to ball my fists. Of course, the conniving old man had something to do with the Klaus siblings being there in DC. It seemed befitting that scum should find scum.

  "What is she doing here?" I snapped.

  "Well, I guess there’s no need for pleasantries then," my father said. "Molly was brought here, it seems, with her brother for some business regarding the Adams family. However, she and her father have decided that her younger brother should take the lead. Molly has generously agreed to help you with your political career while she’s here in DC overseeing her brother’s case."

  "Her brother’s case?" I asked.

  Molly cleared her throat. "Yes, that’s correct. While I can’t discuss the specifics of Hazel Adams’, I can tell you he’s here to help her on the campaign trail. I’m simply here as a backup if my dear little brother needs it."

  So that was her angle.

  "Thanks, but no thanks. I think I’m going to pass on your offer for now. If there is nothing else, I think I should be going."

  "Mr. President," Molly said. "Would you mind if your son and I had a moment in private?"

  "Of course," my father said. "But I warned you he's been off his damn rocker for the past few months. All his political motivation has just gone down the drain. Good luck."

  My father stood up and stormed out of his office, leaving the snake and me alone. I glared at her, having no desire to carry on a conversation. My morning had started off pleasant enough. While the situation with Audrey still sucked, at least we'd been able to text each other throughout the night. I hadn’t heard from her since that morning. None of us had. It wasn’t a surprise.

  Now that she had Kylan following her around for the next several weeks, our conversations would have to be kept to a minimum. It didn’t matter. The late nights and long hours were worth it to talk with Audrey. It had come as a shock to me that Molly hadn’t gone with Audrey and Kylan on the road. Her presence there meant the next few weeks were going to be a living hell. No matter what she had to offer, I belonged to Au
drey, and Molly was never going to change that.

  “Dakota –”

  “Don’t bother, I want nothing to do with you. The fact that you are here playing your sick games with my father is disgusting enough. What have you told him?”

  “Nothing,” she snapped. “I wouldn’t break Hazel’s trust like that. If you don’t believe that, then believe the legalities. The second I signed the contract with Hazel, we had a non-disclosure agreement put in place. It doesn’t matter if someone asks me about the situation in fifty years, I still can’t talk.”

  “Wow, for someone whose best asset is a big mouth, that gag order must be killing you. So why the fuck are you sitting in the president’s oval office right now? What’s your game?”

  “No games,” she said. “My goal is the same that it was when I took the job with Hazel. You are part of that. If your career starts to take off, people are going to start looking deeper into your past. We need to get ahead of the curve and shine a positive light on you.”

  “Jesus, you sound like my father,” I muttered.

  She chuckled. “I’m not here to align myself with your father or support him in any way. My role is simple, make you look like a good guy.”

  “I’m sure that will be difficult for you.”

  “Not at all,” Molly said. “I’ve always held you in high regard, contrary to what you might think. Your father believes that since I’m working with Hazel and Audrey, I’m offering to work with you as well since our fathers go back.”

  “Wow, what a saint.”

  “Oh, stop it. We don’t have to be enemies, you know. We can work together. Your father said that you were considering running for senate? That’s not out of the question just because of your relationship with Audrey.”

  “I don’t need your help with my career.”

  Molly sighed. “What do you think Audrey and Declan are doing right now? They aren’t sitting around waiting for the next chance to reunite your twisted little trio. They are going after their careers. You’re the only one waiting around like a damsel in distress.”