Ever so slowly, he nodded, reaching into his pocket. “You really are nothing like him, are you?”
“No,” I answered instantly, watching as he pulled his blackberry out and quickly punched something in. I couldn’t help the huge sigh of relief that escaped. “Thank you, sir.”
We turned to leave, but stopped when Mr. Fresby said quietly, “If you need any additional…help…Ms. Lerrus, you come and see me privately.”
He extended a card after writing on the back of it. I took it, nodding, even as my cheeks burned bright red, not able to voice a word.
His grin was positively evil when he murmured, “Anything at all. Don’t you forget. And your father will never know.”
We left him and his devious thoughts to where our group waited a respectful distance away. Stash and Zane were abnormally serious and Ally was keeping Miranda occupied, chatting her up about who-knows-what. When she saw that we were through, she cut the convo off quickly, striding with agitated, but sure steps to the group. I’m thinking she didn’t like Miranda much.
***
Once inthe penthouse – Sensations didn’t spare any expenses – we stood in the living room. The tension was abominably high in the air and everyone was staring at me. I was really getting tired of being in this position. They hadn’t even unpacked. They had just dumped their stuff and walked briskly into the room, all turning to watch me. Wonderful.
I held up my hands to ward off the barrage of questions that I knew would soon be hurtled my way. I might as well just getit out of the way, so I told them what I knew. “I don’t know everything, only what I heard before hand and then around the office. Mr. Fresby has evidently been trying to become a larger player in the ethanol business, which Daddy leads here in the US. About four months ago, Daddy and Mr. Fresby were bidding against each other for a prime piece of land that was producing high yields of yellow corn. If Mr. Fresby would have purchased the land, he would have been on the fast track to becoming serious competition for Daddy in the future.”
I paced, wondering how much information to give up about myself and previous dealing I’d had. I rubbed my forehead. I hated that I was even in this position. I thought I’d gotten away from this hideous part of my life. “Daddy asked me to handle the situation. I’ve done jobs for him in the past. Many jobs. Find the competitions weak link. Find their flaw. Then bring in the big gun – Daddy - to twist and tweak it so the individualwantsto tell him how to beat out the company they’ve been loyal to for so long, thinking they were finally seeing the light and doing the right thing.”
I stopped and stared out the huge panoramic windows, placing my hand on the pane of glass, wishing I could drift through it like the puffs of clouds above and fly far away. “Momma took a turn for the worse shortly after the bidding started. Otherwise, I’m sure I would have been…persuaded,” I laughed bitterly, “to take the case. But, as it was, I was needed at home. So Daddy took over. All I know is that while Mr. Fresby was too busy with dead ends from his own investigations team, Daddy found a woman within Mr. Fresby’s budding company that spilled the beans about another proposition that hadn’t ended well for the seller. The information was conveniently leaked to the new seller, and bada-bing bada-boom, the sell went to Lerrus Energy. Mr. Fresby lost millions in future profits from that loss of land.”
“Jesus Christ,” Stash murmured, starting to pace.
“Yeah,” I whispered, putting my head on the glass. I gazed down at all of the miniature people swimming in the enormous kidney shaped pool below. There was a bar built into it.That has possibilities.
“Your fucking father,” Brent spit harshly. That was all he said. I didn’t want to turn around and see his expression as the puzzle pieces aligned.
“Your father taught you how to read and manipulate people.” Cole stated – not a question, voice deadly. “I take it he trained you with an influence of his own making?” He wanted an affirmation. He didn’t have the advantage that Brent had, knowing all the “accidental” bruises I’d had growing up.
So, I gave it, tired of lying. “Since I was knee high and in short britches.”
A string of curses ensued from Brent and Ally, a melody of unadulterated hatred and loathing.
“Fuck, Brent. Give me that,” Zane grumbled. It sounded like a scuffle was taking place, so I turned to face them, trying to be a better person. This was because of me, after all.
Brent held a candle stick in his hand. Well, both he and Zane held it, anyway, almost appearing like they were playing tug of war. I’m guessing Brent had been moving to start tossing the furniture.
Stash jumped in, grabbing Brent around the waist and heaving him on the couch – sans candlestick. “Calm the fuck down! In light of the current situation, I really don’t think that Mr. Fresby would appreciate a credit card bill for a ruined penthouse on top of having her here. Get yourself together, buddy.”
Stash patrolled while Brent ran his hands through his curls, making a mess of it, trying to compose himself. Zane was putting the candlestick back and Ally was taking a drink straight fromthe bottle of a fully loaded bar.Maybe I didn’t have to go down to the pool.Cole sat in a chair, kicking up his feet on the table with his fingers steepled below his chin, perfect eyebrows pinched, and appearing deep in thought.
Stash stopped moving and stared straight at me. “I’m truly sorry for the way you grew up, Ember, and I mean no offense by this, especially since it’s been more fun having you around than it’s been for a long time, but maybe you should go back to New York while we complete this job.”
“No,” Brent and Cole stated as one. They eyed one another, but didn’t argue.
“Ladies, pardon my frankness.” Stash glanced back and forth between and Ally and me, then turned to stare at Cole and Brent. “You two need to stop thinking with your dicks. Her family,” he pointed at me – as if we didn’t know who he was referencing, “ruined a multi-million dollar deal for our client who is paying usA LOTof money to be here. We all realize you two want to fuck her again, but wake the hell up! She’ll be in New York when we get back!” Stash was practically yelling by this point. Nowhere did he seem like the fun-loving comical guy he had been up until this point. “I mean, shit Cole. Miranda’s fucking here to ease any needs you have. And it’ll only be a month at the most, Brent. Plus, you can find a piece of ass here if you need to. Hell, Ember’s nothing more than a glorified con artist, at best. She needs to go.”
He should have shut up a long time ago. I’m thinking he had to be blind not to see he was about to get pummeled. Ah, stupid men. Can’t live with ‘em, can’t shoot ‘em. Well, unless you want to live without windows and have bars for everyday scenery.
Predictably, Cole and Brent lost it.
They lunged for Stash, who was still carrying on. At the same time, Zane, Ally and I shot into motion. Stash was going to get dead if we didn’t intervene. I was closer to Stash and jumpedbetween the bulldozing men. All six of us landed in a heap of punching arms and kicking legs and jabbing elbows. Someone even bit me at one point.
Ally screamed, her accent riding her hard, “You goddamn stupid men. You stop this, right now!” She pounded on Brent’s and Cole’s backs.
I had landed back first, lying diagonally, on top of Stash. One side of my face was squashed under Cole’s chest while the other side was pressed to the floor, facing Stash. My lower body was crushed between Brent’s lower half and the floor. My middle section lay over Stash’s hips and under whatever shifting body part Brent and Cole rolled over me, so I was bent at an extremely awkward angle.
Zane had Brent in a chokehold. But, that didn’t seem to hinder him and Cole from walloping on Stash, who wasn’t doing too bad holding his own. I felt a slim hand grab my ankle and start tugging while I tried to breath and push them away.
