Gavin (Members From Money Book 24)

by Katie Dowe

Joan would have to deliver the message because he would be going directly to the hangar. The pilot, always on call would be there before him because he was paid handsomely to do so. This was an important matter. The three hour flight took longer than it did last week. He paced and then called her phone before repeating the sequence all over. Did someone tell her about the will? Did she think he was a bastard? Why could he run a multibillion dollar business without trouble, but his love life always seemed to be in havoc?

  The flight attendant came to him mid pace and informed him of their pending landing and the necessity to buckle up. Brett reluctantly complied. The drive from the airport to the hotel was another painstakingly long process. Finally he arrived at the door of the penthouse suite. For some reason he was tempted to knock. Like a child knowing of upcoming punishment, he hovered by the door. The key card in his hand must have automatically found its way to the slot because he didn’t remember opening the door.

  Silently at first and then more loudly, he called her name. “Natalie, are you here?” No answer. Again he called out for her and there was no answer. Making his way up the carpeted stairs, Brett approached the top level containing the master bedroom. There she was, sitting at the window, staring into oblivion.

  “Natalie… what’s wrong? Why wouldn’t you answer my calls?”

  She didn’t move a muscle when she responded. Something outside the window caught her attention. She focused on it intently. “How many black women do you know personally Brett?”

  She waited for his response. “Amm… well to be honest… You are the only one.” Brett admitted guiltily.

  Shifting her gaze to his face, she said painfully, “It’s hard you know… it’s hard… you have such negative energy from all angles… family… society… men… just life in general is tough. The men though… they are the ones that really get you… I thought it was only black men, but as it turns out, all men are the same. Liars, cheaters and users.”

  He had been caught. There was no use denying it. She had found out. “I’m sorry you found out this way Natalie… I truly am… I wanted to tell you, I really did, but I didn’t want you to think any less of our baby… of us… please forgive me Natalie. It means so little to me in the grand scheme of things.”

  Showing the first signs of emotion since he had been here, she scrunched up her face and said, ‘Our baby? You mean my baby, because I would never involve myself with a man who would stoop so low as to insult my intelligence. There is no need to worry about this child. You can keep having your affairs and sprees with your white wife. This is where I get off!”

  A slap of bewilderment connected with Brett’s jaw as he digested the accusations. Sleeping with his wife?? What the hell did she mean and had he unwillingly confessed to something he knew nothing about?

  “My wife?? What do you mean Natalie?”

  “You confess and apologize and then ask me what I mean?”

  “No… No I didn’t mean it like that, I was talking about something else. I didn’t sleep with anyone since I’ve been sleeping with you.”

  “That’s a lie Brett. I saw it with my own two eyes. Tell me what is the something else you were talking about? Seems there are more confessions here than accusations. Tell me the truth!”

  Tired and whipped Brett sat down right there on the floor. Natalie glared at him impatiently as he tried to form the words of a story he knew she wouldn’t believe.

  “Firstly, I want to reiterate, I didn’t sleep with anyone. Secondly, it has to do with my father’s will. There is a caveat to my inheritance… I need to have a child by my thirtieth birthday next year in order to have sole control over the company.”

  Natalie’s eyes widened before she stood up trembling. “What did you say?” She whispered venomously. Brett couldn’t look at her. He couldn’t force himself to look at the pain in her eyes.

  “I’m your surrogate? A person merely being engaged to do the service of bearing your child? I cannot believe what I’m hearing. What did you expect me to do when the child was born? Disappear?”

  “It wasn’t like that Natalie. I’m having the luck of a lousy cat with even lousier timing. I was going to tell you… I swear… getting you pregnant wasn’t a part of my plans… I swear!”

  “So now I’m not good enough to have your baby… that’s what you are saying? Your mother is not going to be happy with a little black grand baby so I definitely know you didn’t get me pregnant on purpose.”

  Shaking his head, Brett said, “No, you are taking it out of context. I didn’t mean it like that… yes, I needed a baby and yes, you got pregnant, but I never meant to use you. I genuinely care for you.”

  “People care for their dogs too Brett, did you know?”

  “I understand you are feeling like I did this intentionally, but I didn’t.”

  “Is this why you fucked your ex wife? Huh, I know your mom likes her… a little white baby would make her happy. Why the fuck did you bring me into this? I was happy in my booth designing my shit when you came in and fucking upset the show. Now I’m pregnant by my boss who’s using my body to house his baby so he can become even richer and more powerful.”

  She stomped over to the massive flat screen and pressed play on the Blue ray player. He didn’t notice she was dressed when he came; he was too busy apologizing for his many transgressions. As she stalked out of the room, leaving him on the floor watching his image on the screen eating his wife’s pussy she said, “Shoulda stuck to fucking skinny white bitches if you didn’t wanna have this upset in your life. Don’t call me or contact me. I will have my attorneys contact you regarding the business arrangement. Have a nice life Brett.”

  Brett knew it wasn’t him on the screen screwing Priscilla. Even when they were married he never made love to her like that. She always acted as if she was in pain when tried to fully fit into her. It wasn’t enjoyable at all. He watched it a thousand times not because he enjoyed it, but because he just couldn’t figure out how a person who looked exactly like him lay there stroking his hideous ex wife who in turn screamed his name. Every time she said “Brett” it crawled his skin.

  *****

  The house she lived in was a part of the alimony. He still paid half the utilities. Technically, it was still his. The viper came home from the gym sometime around ten am and he sat in her foyer on a chair waiting. The décor she chose to fill the house with was every bit as tacky as she was.

  Taken aback to see him sitting there puffing a cigarette as soon as she opened the door startled her and she dropped her designer gym bag in surprise. “My God Brett! Why the hell are you in my house?”

  With slow, calculated words Brett said, “I don’t know how you did it, but you’ve managed to fuck me up yet again. Before I do something I will regret, I suggest you tell me who you hired to fuck you, record it and send it to my girlfriend. I’ve given you all the details to jog your memory. Tell me the truth.”

  Tossing her artificially black hair, Priscilla arrogantly turned up her nose at the suggestion she would have to pay anyone to sleep with her. “Ha Brett you flatter me. I know you think I spend all my free time thinking about you, but trust me… I have other things to do.”

  Brett’s voice turned low and cold. He dropped the cigarette butt on the marbled floor and stepped on it, causing the smoke to curl through the air. He stood and took two steps toward a very frightened looking Priscilla. She was beginning to understand he wasn’t joking.

  “You see all this,” Brett whispered close to her face. “I can make it disappear. The trailer park you grew up in could easily be your home again. I fought clean in court giving you most of what you wanted, but this is a dirty street you are choosing to walk down and trust me… I can take that dirty walk with you. I wouldn’t want to hear about a once prominent ex wife of a business mogul evicted for foreclosure on her home… Like I said, it would be… sad.”

  Priscilla trembled as she tried to push her way through the wall Brett had backed her on to.

  �
��It wasn’t me, you idiot, who hired someone to scare away your little black girlfriend. It was your very own cousin William. Didn’t want to upset your mother with this race mixing thing… Could be bad for her, especially since she holds the purse strings.”

  “You and William are fools you know? My mother controls very little and there are clauses in the will that deal with misbehavior like this. My father was crazy and demanded a lot from us, but I know this isn’t a part of the plan. Anyway, this is what you are going to do for me now. You will tell William you are pregnant. I’m sure your acting skills are there. You will get a pregnant woman’s pee and show him a positive pregnancy test. I don’t care how you do it, but you will. Answer me when I call you and I will instruct you further. Will needs to be taught a lesson and if you cooperate with me, you will get more than this Mercedes parked outside. Do- you- understand?”

  Priscilla agreed because she was afraid and he offered her something in exchange for her keeping up appearances. The trailer park was a long time ago. She had to desire to ever visit it again.

  *****

  The only pleasure Brett got from seeing Natalie at the mediation was seeing her tummy grow. Otherwise, it was a sad occasion each time. She spoke little and avoided eye contact as the attorneys dissolved the company. The store would remain, but her brands presence would be removed. The financials were scoured over and the inventory counted. This was the end of Natalie’s involvement with Haughton Companies and Carbon the store.

  *****

  Brett’s mother was told of Priscilla’s pregnancy and she didn’t know how to take it. William didn’t know either, but at this point because Brett hadn’t sowed a seed, he was in perfect running to get a baby first and seal the deal before his cousin did. It wasn’t necessarily a race because there was no requirement for Will to have a baby, it didn’t affect anything, but the desire to upstage the bastard would bring him pleasure.

  William understood the logic behind his uncle’s stipulation for Brett to run the company. Brett was irresponsible, constantly bringing trouble on himself. Look at his latest quandary with Natalie! Old Man Haughton wanted him to have a child as proof he had truly grown up and become a man. There was no way they could allow this black woman from nowhere to settle into the luxuries of rich life.

  Brett should be thankful that he ran her off, leaving him with the opportunity to find someone better. He was just happy aunt Marilyn didn’t find out about it. William celebrated his own genius constantly and now that Priscilla was pregnant, he could claim all that was rightfully his.

  What the perfect victory over a cousin he loathed. Getting his ex wife pregnant after all the years he couldn’t! It was a brilliant move in his books and couldn’t be topped even by the world’s most calculating minds. Cheers to the winner!

  Chapter 9

  If pain followed joy, then sequentially, joy should follow pain. Natalie repeated this to herself as the searing pain ripped across her stomach. Why the hell didn’t these doctors give her something for the pain? This was torture and her very own child was the one inflicting the pain.

  There was no way women before her had done this - it wasn’t possible to bear this much pain and live to tell the tale. “Breathe for me Ms. Johnson… count to three and bear down.”

  Natalie tried to listen, but the only thing she managed to force out was tears. The doctor’s tone grew serious and so did the expression of the two nurses in the room. “Ms Johnson, you need to push, the baby is there and I just need you to give me one last effort… ok?”

  Natalie nodded and decided to obey. The count to three was loud and she knew it was her turn to work. With all her might she urged her stomach to force out this new life ripping her apart. She flopped down on the bed when the doctor patted her leg and excitedly yelled, “It’s a girl… Ms. Johnson you have a healthy baby girl!”

  She opened her eyes to see the cutest brown face looking back at her, one eye open and the other closed. Bundled on her chest as the doctor fiddled with the umbilical cord, Natalie gazed at the precious gift the universe had bestowed upon her - this was Joy.

  *****

  Joy Johnson was born the day before Brett’s thirtieth birthday. He knew when she was due and he wondered what it was like to hold the baby he was to have no part of. He called Natalie a few times before, but she never answered. Common sense told him she had changed her number. The apartment she once occupied was now empty. He knew because he hired someone to investigate and each check he sent her came back stamped return to sender. She didn’t want him in her life and seeing the baby was out of the question.

  Brett had returned to his former miserable self and William liked it that way. A miserable man had more buttons to push and was essentially easier to control because of it. William manipulated the hell out of his depressed cousin. Already strained relations became more strained when Priscilla began to show up at the office with her swollen belly. She said the doctors warned her against having sex because of her previous pregnancy failures. William was fine with that. He didn’t enjoy screwing her anyway.

  Brett watched the act coming together. William thought he was the puppet master, but little did he know, he was a mere stage hand in a bigger scheme. For too long he tried to up show him and make him seem incompetent. Once and for all he would remove this thorn from his side and work on repairing the irreparable - Natalie’s trust.

  Private investors were almost always the seedy type, but not this one. He was dressed finer than an attorney and just as well spoken. In today’s age no large manila envelopes were passed with incriminating photos. It was the small, unassuming memory stick that did the damage. Sliding it into the iPad, Joel Creedy waited for the file to load.

  “She lives here on this street. Pretty decent neighborhood with a play park. The baby is just three months old, her name is Joy.”

  Brett stared at the screen. Natalie had gained a few pounds in the right places; her ample hips had spread even more, exaggerating her hour glass figure and making her even more attractive. Her skin glowed with maternal affection as she kissed the cheek of her baby.

  The child looked like him. A tiny tuft of gray hair streaked the top of her otherwise jet black mane. Her hazel eyes stared back at him as though questioning, “Daddy, where are you?” Brett felt it in his soul.

  Thanking the man and assuring him he would call if he needed his services again, Brett stood up from the bar table where they sat and left. The memory stick in his pocket was now his most precious possession and he would keep close until he mustered the courage to beg for forgiveness from his new family.

  *****

  Priscilla was approaching the nine month mark. Marilyn fussed and asked why she wasn’t allowed to come to doctor visits, while William pretended to care about her and the baby’s well being. The baby shower was something to remember and foolish Priscilla played along, enjoying the attention. Following Brett’s orders to a Tee she was every bit of the radiant expecting mother. The jig was almost up.

  *****

  Tonight Brett was an ordinary man - not rich, not powerful, not limo driven. He arrived in a taxi on the corner and walked the rest of the way to the quaint house where his family lived. The short walkway to the front door, paved with cobblestones, looked inviting. He was sure the invitation was not for him. The door, painted orange, was a dead giveaway of who lived inside, Natalie’s personality screamed from the walls of the house .

  The speech in his head was rehearsed a thousand times and yet, it didn’t seem appropriate to repeat to this woman. She had no right to believe him after what he did to her and he would understand if she couldn’t forgive him. He still had to try.

  His knock echoed through the door of the house and heard her footsteps approach the door. There was no keyhole to peer through and she yanked it open smiling. That smile faded after she recognized who was standing on her stoop like a lost puppy.

  Propping her hip on the door frame and crossing her arms over her milk full bosom, Natalie quietl
y inquired, “What are you doing here Brett?”

  He made sure his tone was right and his eye contact direct when he responded. “I’ve come to see you and my baby.”

  “Oh? Looking for a DNA sample to take back to your lawyers to prove she’s yours?”

  Brett expected the nasty reception, but he was determined not to back down. It was time to man up.

  “No Natalie. I’ve come here to tell you the truth about what happened before you left. I want to be a part of your life… the baby’s life. I am a good guy who’s had some bad luck recently and I need you to hear me out. I am asking for a few minutes of your time… that’s all.”

  He was sincere enough to get past the threshold. Hopefully it was enough for him to see his daughter. Natalie pointed to a small sitting room before disappearing into a room down a small hallway and closing the door behind her. Brett held out hope that she would return with the baby. He was sadly disappointed.

  She wore shorts and a tank top. Something he’d never seen her wear before. It dawned on him just how little he knew about her likes and dislikes. He would have to remedy that. She sat down and crossed her legs, obviously unaware of the effect it had on him, watching her supple skin just outside his touch. Oh, how he wished he could hold her and caress her again. Now wasn’t the time to bring it up. He was still standing in the proverbial corner.

  It was his turn to talk apparently because Natalie just sat there staring at him. He cleared his throat and began. “Well, I just wanted to clarify the matter of the DVD that was sent to you. I’ve done some investigation and yes, it was my ex wife on the DVD but it wasn’t me with her. As it turns out my charming cousin William paid her to do it. She wasn’t my best relationship choice, I admit. William wanted to run you off because as you already know, my mother isn’t going to be the most accepting of us.”

  He paused to try to read her face. It was emotionless but he continued anyway. “Now the matter of the baby was in the will. In order for me to carry on running the business, my father required me to have a baby by thirty. I guess he figured it would mean I was a grown man and ready to take on the full task of being one.”