I had to talk with Cameron.
Dialing his number again I yelled when it went to voicemail. I texted Mia with a warning they needed to call me right away.
I called Tempest Tower, asking to be put through to the main office, and was put on hold. The unending music proved this call wasn’t going to happen - a seeming stranger speaking with the CEO without prior notice was against policy, no doubt.
I’d been so caught up with carrying out Cameron’s orders I’d not thought to check on my own shares. My commission for dealing with Cameron’s portfolio was generous. More than I’d ever made before and I’d handled some big accounts over the years.
The realization hit me—
I dropped the phone and flew out of Cameron’s office, running down the hall at breakneck speed and almost knocking over Pilar. I caught her and swept her back up to her feet, cupping her face in my hands and planting a big kiss on her lips.
She squealed with delight, blushing wildly.
Her laughter trailed behind me.
I sprinted through the foyer and burst through the large oak doorway, taking two steps at a time until I reached the most private sanctuary of Chrysalis - the stables. Dominic’s voice carried down the hallway.
A wayward pony trotted by and I sent him in to fetch Dominic. I was in no mood to lower my energy to suit the stables, a calm and nurturing environment.
I was on fire and couldn’t stand still.
I paced, waiting, walking up and down the corridor outside.
Dominic was berating a pony. Though from the moans coming from the stables he was using pleasure to get through to the petulant brute.
I resisted storming in and shouting at the man who’d badmouthed Dominic right back, but from the sound of it, Dominic had it handled.
Within a few minutes I was walking beside him in the garden. We rounded the pool and headed off away from the house.
“May I suggest less caffeine?” He smirked.
“Just hear me out. I’ve had this wild idea and I need your help to set it up.”
“I’m at your command,” he said in that elegant yet annoyed way of his.
“What if I opened up a recovery fund? I’ve recently come into some money. A lot actually, and I want to put it all into an account and help the families who lost their money in my father’s Ponzi scheme.”
“You’re out of your mind.”
“Can I do it?”
“It’s feasible.”
“You have to help me, Dom.”
“Where’s the money coming from?”
“I have a very wealthy client—”
“You made commission?”
“Yes.”
“This dabbling in the stock market paid off, I take it?”
“You could say that.”
His smile thinned. “I imagine you’d still be on Wall Street if it wasn’t for your father.”
“I’m not sure. I love it here. I love my home, my life…” I waved that off. “Do you think it’s something we can do?”
“A gesture like that is always looked on with gratitude. There’ll be some legal fine- tuning. Remember though, no good deed goes unpunished, so there’ll be fallout and press—”
“I can come out of hiding?”
“Yes, I suppose you could.”
I threw my head back and stared up at the sky, my heart surging with the realization that freedom was a real possibility.
“I’ll put a financial proposal together and we can talk through it,” he said.
I leaped forward and hugged him.
He patted my back, “Okay, cowboy, let’s get you some mineral water. Your blood is ninety percent caffeine.”
“I’m going to be free!”
“I’m going to give you one of Pilar’s cannabis cookies.”
“Pilar cooks with pot?”
“That naughty sub Arianna got her into it. The kitchen’s the most popular place after a session these days.”
“Drugs are banned.”
“Well, there you have it. Arianna knows we love Pilar and won’t fire her.”
“And Arianna is Shay’s sub—”
“So she’s not going anywhere.”
“I’ll talk with them both.” I scratched my head. “Better still I’ll have Cameron deal with it when he comes back.”
Dominic arched a brow. “If he comes back.”
CHAPTER 25
TRYING CAMERON’S NUMBER again I settled back down in his office swivel chair.
I typed in the code to access his account, refreshing the screen where I’d left it.
His shares had skyrocketed.
Grinning like an idiot, I screen-captured the numbers for prosperity.
I hit Cameron’s number and his gruff voice answered.
“Cole?” I said. “’Bout time. Where are you?”
“Tempest Tower,” he said weakly. “My dad’s signing over the company.”
“What? Why?” I jolted up. “Cameron, are you okay?”
“Are you enjoying this?”
“What the fuck?”
There it was. His brilliant deduction that I’d probably placed him firmly on the fast track to run Cole Tea, and he hated me for it.
I glared at the phone. You asked me to triple your shares, buddy.
“Is Mia there? Put her on.”
“Is this about her?” His voice sounded strained.
I rolled my eyes at that. “I knew you’d never give her back.”
“I can’t breathe without her.” He let out a long breath. “Did you do this on purpose?”
Cameron was being pissy, with a little weirdness thrown into the mix.
I’d only ever seen him like this once before and that was the night he’d called off his engagement with Zie. Cameron had been so full of guilt he’d not slept for a week. And he was crap without sleep.
Still, maybe it wasn’t all bad news.
“I just hope you’re willing to live with the consequences.” I smiled at the impending news I was about to deliver.
His family empire was salvageable and pride seeped in that I’d played a part. “Don’t blame me when your life is turned upside down.”
The line went dead.
I figured I could have worded that better.
Calling back, Mia answered, “Hello? Richard?”
“Everything’s fine, Mia. Put Cameron back on.”
Her muffled voice came through as she spoke to Cameron. “Richard, please tell Cameron to get some sleep. He’s exhausted. He only listens to you.”
“Richard?” came Cameron’s gruff tone.
“When was the last time you got any sleep?” I asked firmly.
“It was never about the money,” he said firmly. “It was about a greater purpose. And if this is your way of getting me to realize how much I love Mia, well bravo, Richard Booth Sheppard. She’s worth more to me than anyone will ever know. I never meant to hurt you. I’ve told you that a thousand times. I’ve begged for your forgiveness. Know this - I will not give her up. Ever.”
I opened my mouth wide in a silent scream, then shook my head and said calmly. “Yeah, I could hear it in your voice when I asked for her back.”
Asshole.
“Cameron,” I said. “Check your shares.”
“I did.”
His panic suddenly made sense. “You think we went with Destiny-Horizon?” I rolled my eyes. “God, I know you so well. Those looked like crap in the end. We went with Phoenix-Rise. You did give me free rein after all. They just went public—”
“You didn’t lose my money?”
“Well, that explains your pissy mood.”
“Richard?”
“I just made a shitload of commission thanks to you. We went through Charlie’s. Thought it best to buy under your charity name and that way no one would become suspicious that Cameron Cole…are you still there?”
“We’re still here,” said Mia.
“Cam,” I said. “I quadrupled it.”
Mi
a squealed and it made me smile.
“I’m assuming you want me to buy every Cole Tea and Tempest Coffee share I can get my hands on and add it to your portfolio?”
Mia piped up, “Cameron says ‘yes please.’”
I tapped the keyboard and officially purchased the shares I’d readied to buy.
I knew the kind of pressure Cameron was under and he’d never been drawn to business, not really, although I suspected he’d thrive in this world and we both knew what a double-edged sword this was for him. There was the chance he’d have to leave his beloved psychiatric practice behind and take up his rightful place at his brother’s side and run Cole Tea.
There was no other way.
I finished with a click of the mouse. “Booyah, fuckers!”
Winston barked.
“Quiet, I’m trying to concentrate here. That’s the only good thing about a rumor of a hostile takeover. People dump their shares.”
“What does that mean?” asked Mia.
It was done.
“Boom bitches!” I leaned back.
“Speak to me,” said Cameron.
“You just became the proud owner of Cole Tea. Well, ninety percent anyway. Not bad for a day’s work.”
“Richard, you’re a genius,” shouted Mia.
“Well, we know that.” I grinned, reaching down to pat Winston.
“I have to get back to the tower,” said Cameron.
The line went quiet.
Winston stared up at me and I scratched his head.
“Richard?” said a breathless Cameron.
“Still here.”
“Richard! Thank you.”
“What are you waiting for?” I said. “Go.”
The line went dead and my best friend went chasing after his future with the usual passion and brilliance he gave to everything.
God, I loved that man.
His life would never be the same. Neither would Cole Tea, and the thought of what he could bring to his father’s company made me swell with pride. They had no idea what they had coming to them. The company was about to be taken to the next level.
I felt a sense of retribution for all the damage my father had done.
Pushing away from the desk, I headed off to the kitchen.
Though tempted to celebrate with one of Pilar’s “special” cookies, I meant to have a little chat with her in the near future. She’d no doubt been manipulated by Arianna.
Dominic’s words haunted my thoughts - that Chrysalis wouldn’t be the same without Cameron. Was I ready to run this place with the same ironclad fist that he had protected this sanctuary of eccentric souls with?
Yes, yes I was.
I was also free to love who I wanted.
My feet stuck to the marble floor as that thought raced through my brain.
I fled through the front door of Chrysalis, startling the valet by grabbing my car keys off him and sprinting to fetch my Jeep myself.
I leaped inside the Wrangler and sped away.
The journey to Doheny Drive was a blur, all I could think of was how I’d tell Andrea that I’d found a way for us to be together, a solution that would bring me out of hiding and make it easier for the public to accept me as her lover.
She’d be dating a stockbroker, after all, and Cameron had led the way of smoke and mirrors, proving he could have this life and still protect his family name.
The words I’d say to Andrea rose from my heart.
I’d thank her for freeing me, for being the one to save me. I’d finally be able to tell her what she meant to me. There were no more reasons to stay apart or deny that we even knew each other.
I punched the dial on the dashboard and Pearl Jam blared through my speakers.
The promise of happiness loomed larger than it ever had. All this angst, all this suffering fell away like the promise of spring.
I turned the music up.
Within the hour I was driving up Doheny, the twisting street toward her home.
Uneasiness settled in my gut.
Thirty or so paparazzi were gathered outside the front of her house. More photogs than I’d ever seen. I parked a little way up the road so they couldn’t catch the number on my license plate, and parked.
I strolled back down the hill with my sunglasses on and baseball cap pulled low.
Standing beside one of the photogs as though I was one of them, I brought out my iPhone and texted.
“Hey, Andrea, are you home?”
“What’s going on?” I asked the photographer beside me.
“Buckingham just disappeared inside,” said the stout, grisly looking cameraman.
My gaze shot to the window. “She’s home?”
He nudged his glasses up his nose. “We followed the lovers back from Tandem’s Lounge.”
A chill ran up my spine.
“They’ve been keeping it on the down-low,” he added. “We knew something was up. She was in and out of restaurants with him, wearing that wig of hers. They were caught holding hands today coming out of Boho Bakery. You know, the Grove?”
“What? When?” My voice sounded strained.
“This afternoon.”
“With who?” My stomach ached and my mouth felt dry.
“Blaze Fumero?”
“Her co-star?”
He peered up at me. “You don’t read your own tabloid then?”
“How do you mean?”
“Blaze and Andrea have been a thing since they began shooting. The chemistry’s off the charts.” He lifted his camera to show me and I stared down at the time-stamped photo from thirty minutes ago. A snapshot of Andrea heading into the house with Blaze, his arm wrapped around her. The second shot had his hand on her ass.
“I just made fifty thousand after I got an exclusive with them coming out of a club.”
“Where?”
“Sunset. Last night. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other.”
I wanted to punch him.
“What site do you work for?” he asked.
“Forgot my camera.” I feigned I was going back for it and headed back up the street.
I struggled with my keys, trying to get them into the ignition, dizziness causing nausea to well in my gut.
Sadness stuck in my throat and I coughed to relieve it.
Andrea was an actress and there lay the rub, she’d master-classed her way into my life and I’d fallen for it.
Fallen for her.
Yet again I’d aced being wrong.
I was a goddamned expert at it.
CHAPTER 26
THE DECADANCE OF a party at Chrysalis - nothing came close.
Despite all this luxury, this brilliant revelry, I still missed Andrea. These three days without her felt like years.
It was time to put this soiree behind me and move on. Not that I had any choice. What I’d not accounted for was the slew of TV networks running the story of her romance with Hollywood heartthrob Blaze Fumero.
A constant reminder of what I’d lost.
Of what I’d never really had.
We’d healed each other in our own way. Touched each other’s lives and changed them irrevocably. Andrea had proven to herself she was capable of facing off with anyone and that she had moved past her fear. And I felt ready to love again.
Maybe even take on a new submissive.
It would take time to select the right one. What would follow would be the appropriate interviewing and assessing of which woman would most benefit from my skills and which sub would serve my needs best - a symbiotic relationship of Yin and Yang.
I yearned for the one.
I was ready.
My chest tightened at the knowledge that it would never be Andrea. I missed her warmth, her ridiculous giggling, her button nose and those cute freckles. I’d raced through these weeks with my usual brand of wildness. Regret seeped in that I’d not savored her more. The thought of her lying in Blaze’s arms made me cringe.
I shoved the pain away.
; My thoughts came back to the present.
Life had almost returned to normal. I was surrounded by good people. My people. And my best buddy was back.
Cameron and I sat at the top of the stairs. We were both dressed in our tuxedos, our gazes taking in the view of the foyer filled with partygoers.
New guests trickled in the front door taking in the scene, dominants guiding their subs on fine chains, some forced to crawl beside their masters as they peeked up from behind masks proving their thrill. A few ponies had been gifted with release from the stables this evening and I caught sight of Jason Harris trotting through the crowd with that sweet sub Trixie perched on his back and secure on that fixed leather saddle, her expression blissful, cheeks flushed, her sex no doubt receiving a good pummeling as she rode him.
The sight of their happiness made all this more than worth it.
Dominic peered up from the shadows giving me a knowing look. It appeared that Trixie’s master was out of town again, and the agreement for her to play with Dominic’s permission had been granted.
Dominic’s gaze slid over to Cameron and his expression flooded with grief. He was losing his director and the man who’d saved his life back during those years of depression, when he hid his predilections and denied his homosexuality. Cameron had guided him into the light.
And that was why our symbol was a chandelier.
The light streaming off those hundreds of crystals stood as a beacon to the lost and an uplifting comfort to the found, a manmade crafted sculpture of glass reflecting the profoundness of human sexuality. Our lifestyle sophisticated, hedonistic, and always welcoming.
I gave Dominic a comforting smile and he gave a nod of appreciation.
“La Traviata” by Giuseppe Verdi flooded in from the great hall, the music a backdrop for Arianna being showcased during a session in front of an audience. Shay was taking his sub through her paces, this, their reunion after his time spent in New York with Cameron.
Just ten minutes ago before meeting Cameron here on the stairs, I’d made sure the scene in the great hall was perfectly set. Arianna had been strung up naked in the center, her hands bound above her head and that table pulled close and covered with the toys and accoutrements of pleasure and pain that Shay was probably using on her now.
I’d left them to it and had come to meet with Cameron.
To the left of the stairs, a young couple who’d just arrived was so caught up with the decadent scene they’d just stepped into that they’d delved right into fucking against the wall. And, as expected, they’d drawn an audience. I recognized them as first-timers and my nod to Dominic signaled they were permitted to continue; they were, after all, entertaining our guests.
Richard's Reign (Book 6): Enthrall Novella #3 (Enthrall Sessions) Page 17
