by Kells, India
License Notes
THE INHERITANCE
by India Kells
Copyright © 2019 by India Kells
Editing and proofreading by Black Opal Editing
Cover Art by Book Cover Zone
All rights reserved.
ISBN 978-1-989354-02-5
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.
www.indiakells.com
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
About the Author
CHAPTER ONE
When she was finally able to close her laptop after sending her last project before a much-needed break, Lani exhaled both in relief and despair. Despite her best efforts, all her hard work, her business was failing. If she were totally honest with herself, she was an artist at heart and not a businesswoman. Pushing back from her desk, she glanced at her latest artwork, and was so very pleased with the result. The swirl of colors was dramatic and the energy undeniable. That’s what painting brought her too, as did her computer designs but on another, different, scale. Her true passion was found on canvas.
The economy was crumbling, as was the need for artists like her. She may have been renowned and respected for her work as a web designer, but people were not reaching out anymore.
If only she had one more contract. A profitable one so she could finish her latest paintings. A few more, and she could do the exhibition she dreamed of, the one an art critic told her could make her career. That would mean her own studio, no more designing contracts, and her dream come true.
Grabbing her cell phone, Lani decided to acknowledge her growling stomach and went into her tiny kitchen. As she nuked her last ramen soup, she started to scroll through her emails. Some of them were annoying requests from people asking if she could create something for a ridiculously low price. Well, they could fuck themselves. No way was she selling herself cheap. She would return to work at the diner before accepting that.
About to throw down the gauntlet with her reply to the emails, she noticed three missed calls.
Very few people had her phone number, and even less thought about leaving a message. An unknown number was a novelty.
Miss Mackay, my name is George Stephens, your uncle Emile Mackay’s attorney. I’ve tried to reach you several times, but I keep being bumped to your voicemail. I’d hoped to have reached for you in better circumstances, but if you don’t already know, your uncle died of a heart attack last week. I’m in the process of calling everyone mentioned in his will, and you are the last on my list. Please call me back as soon as possible so we can make an appointment to meet at my office.
Lani was so stunned, she had to listen to the message a couple of times. Emile Mackay was dead. She had met her father’s brother a handful of times. Cold and dismissive, he had been very critical when she’d decided to pursue her passion for art. And when her parents had died, not only had he been contemptuous to her, but downright cruel. He’d made it clear that she was alone, that he would never endorse such stupidity of hers and if she wanted to dabble in paint instead of working a decent job, she would be alone in doing so. The last time he’d seen her, she’d seen the disgust on his face when he’d seen her paint-stained hands and electric blue hair.
Why had he even put her in his will? To be honest, she didn’t want anything to do with him. On the other hand, she was at the end of her rope; could she turn down what he’d offered her from beyond the grave?
There weren’t a lot of solutions, and she wasn’t a quitter. With a last look at her ramen soup, Lani decided to make the call and see what happened. After all, maybe the winds were about to change.
* * *
The address where she was supposed to meet the attorney led her to a dull, cold tower downtown. The posh office she was ushered into perfectly fit her uncle’s opinion of someone successful but with no taste. Clean lines, lots of ugly objects and anonymous. No soul whatsoever. Somehow, it steadied her. Comforted her in the knowledge that the life she had chosen for herself was the right decision.
“Miss Mackay? Sorry to have kept you waiting.” The small, half-bald man walked around the desk, his nose in a file, obviously not sorry at all about the delay. “You may be aware that your uncle was a wealthy man and his final requests were extensive and complex in certain ways. I wished we could have talked much sooner.”
Lani mentally rolled her eyes. She wasn’t going to apologize for disturbing the annoying man’s busy schedule.
At her calm silence, the attorney humphed. “Strangely, you are the only one for whom your uncle left a video diary. All the others didn’t get that privilege.”
It may seem like a privilege for some, but Lani knew too well that her dear uncle didn’t do anything because he had a kind heart.
The attorney swiveled his chair and a panel on the far end of the wall opened, revealing a TV screen. Emile Mackay’s face appeared. He was much older than she remembered, and looked tired. But the cool power was still in his eyes. Deep down, Lani was grateful that he wasn’t her father. Her own dad had been warm, funny, and loving. Money had been scarce, but it didn’t matter because her memory didn’t record any of the struggles, only the warmth.
“Good day, dear niece. If you are listening to this, it means that I am no longer on this earth, which you will probably find a time for rejoicing. Despite our differences, you are the only blood I have left. I kept track of you, of what you are doing, and I find no satisfaction in your current circumstances. I see you are following in your father’s footsteps and his folly for dreaming, but I also admire your stubbornness and the fact you’ve never asked me for anything. I understand that pride, which guided my own life, also. My existence had satisfied me, even if it has been a lonely and cold road.
“Now that I am no longer, I’m sure the vultures are circling, trying to get the best of me. Rest assured that I’ve taken great care of them, and they will have some surprises of their own.
“As for you, I thought long and hard whether I would give you anything at all. I’ve never encouraged an artist in my life. I’ve been told that you have talent. Maybe it is enough. Despite my doubts, I’ve decided to give you a chance to prove to me that you are worthy of being called a Mackay. I’ve prepared something that my attorney will explain to you. Accomplish it, and you will receive ten million dollars. Fail, and you get nothing. It’s as simple as that. If you accept this task and succeed, I’m giving it all to you. Good luck, niece.”
And the screen shut down. Lani was stunned by what she’d just watched. Not once had he said her name or given her a kind smile. There wasn’t kindness in the man; he preferred to play with people like pawns. That’s what the ten million dollars were all about.
The attorney went to a cabinet and came back with a small box. “Your uncle left this box for you. You aren’t to open it. His first instruction is to go to this address and convince a Mr. Max Langdon to help you. Your uncle trusted him, and if he agrees, he will open the box. Inside are envelopes with tasks
you must accomplish. One more thing. Mr. Langdon will be instructed to determine if you’ve accomplished each task successfully. Fail one, or refuse to do any of them, and the offer will be void.”
Lani’s first instinct was to take the box and throw it out the window. But she thought about her current situation, her dreams and how the money could help her achieve her goals. This was a real dilemma. It wasn’t the money itself that interested her, but the possibilities linked to it.
Ever so slowly, she reached for the small box and put both her palms on it. Inside, her instincts screamed that it was a trap, but her logical mind told her that it was an opportunity. One she couldn’t deny.
Licking her lips, she lifted her head. “Where do I need to go next?”
CHAPTER TWO
It had been a very long time since she had left the city. The drive to the mountain was a treat after all, and a distraction from what she was about to do, the box sitting ominously on the passenger seat.
When the attorney had given her Max Langdon’s address, he had told her that she couldn’t reach him by phone or email. She had to drive there and meet him in person. It was another weird condition.
Who was the man that her uncle trusted more than anyone else? When she’d asked the dull attorney, he’d simply shrugged, saying that he only had the information that Emile had given him.
As she packed her bag, expecting to have to sleep in the nearby town, her landlord had come to give her a warning. If she didn’t pay her the two months back rent she owed, she would kick her out.
That new slap in the face only made her more determined to convince Langdon to help her. Whatever was in the box, the tasks, wouldn’t be as bad as being kicked out on the streets.
After all, it was some sort of test, and if her struggle taught her anything so far, it was that she was stronger and more hard-headed than she appeared. She could do this and prove to that uncle of hers that her dream was worth it.
The GPS told her to turn into a side road and she slowed down. Her heart started to hammer even harder when the dense forest opened to what looked like a lumberjack’s mansion. To be honest, Lani hadn’t known what to expect. But probably not this. There was money there for sure, and she didn’t like the fact she would need to beg her uncle’s friend. That dampened her mood considerably when she parked near the double-car garage.
The air was cold when Lani got out of the car, the box under her arm, and it steadied her nerves as she climbed the steps to the front door and knocked.
Everything was so silent around her, the only thing she could hear was the rustling of the wind through the fir trees. It was peaceful and inspiring.
Lost in her thoughts and forgetting where she was, she jumped when the door opened behind her.
What was left of her composure flew with the wind when she saw the man standing in the threshold. Taking up most of the doorway, he towered over her. With both arms on the frame, all she could see were the muscles straining his white shirt. The sleeves rolled up on his forearms showed they were covered with intricate ink, as her eyes finally made their way to his face. In front of her stood the sexiest silver fox she had ever seen.
Deep glacier blue eyes, dark hair sprinkled with light gray, as was his short beard, he was a wet dream in the flesh.
“You are … tall.” What a ridiculous thing to say, she almost slapped herself in the back of the head.
“And you have very blue hair, Miss. Are you lost? Nobody comes here.”
Lani was sure it was true, either because of the distance or the annoyance coming in waves from the man. “Are you Max Langdon?”
The question didn’t thaw the icy look he gave her. “I’m not interested in whatever you came here for.”
Words rushed to counter the closing door. “I’m Emile Mackay’s niece. He just died.”
At least that information made the man pause and the door inched open again. “What did you say?”
“It’s the truth. I came here because I need your help. My uncle mentioned in his will that you are the only man who can open this box. I need to do what’s inside to get my inheritance. I’m not lying, take a look.”
Lani offered the box, but he eyed it as if it was a bomb about to explode. After a moment of silence that seemed to stretch forever, Langdon finally gestured for her to enter.
Only when hot air touched her skin did she realize how cold she had been; she was definitely not dressed for the weather.
The entrance opened to a wide area where wood, stone, and glass were woven into a work of art. A vast hearth held a place of honor and the roaring fire reflected on the glass like a kaleidoscope. The entire house screamed of money, but it was clearly spent with taste. It was both masculine and elegant.
Langdon steered her toward the kitchen area. Without a word, he started to make coffee. Still grasping the box in her hands, Lani decided to sit at one of the bar stools by the mile-long granite counter. Langdon’s back was to her and she didn’t complain, on the contrary, this man’s body made her fingers itch. It had been a long time since she’d had sex. Not that she didn’t enjoy it, but art and survival had taken all the focus in her life. That didn’t mean she couldn’t admire a fine specimen of the male gender and memorize every shifting muscle for when she was alone at night.
When he finally turned and put a steaming cup in front of her, Lani saw a composed and calculating man, not unlike Emile Mackay.
“Now, start from the beginning. You are Lani Mackay, is that right? The niece who’s an artist?”
Her uncle had talked about her after all. “I’ve been called worse. In fact, as far as I know, I’m his only niece.”
“And Emile is dead.”
Lani nodded. “Yes. I just had the news myself. His attorney contacted me. Apparently, he died of a heart attack. He’s already buried, he didn’t want to have any kind of ceremony. It was only after the burial that his attorney started to contact all the people listed in his will.”
Langdon seemed to ponder on that. “To be honest, I’m not surprised. It’s very much the Emile Mackay that I’ve known.”
“You were his friend, according to what my uncle said in his posthumous video. I’m surprised his attorney didn’t contact you after his death for that matter.”
Once again, tension rose from him. “We were friends, but not for the last few years. Your uncle and I had a serious falling out. It’s three years since we last spoke.”
Curiosity spurred Lani to ask what had happened, but the way he was looking at her didn’t offer an opening for it. “Five years for me. And the last time we had contact, it wasn’t very cordial. In fact, I’m stunned I was even in his will.”
“Why are you here? What do you need me for?”
Lani sighed and pushed the box in his direction. “Contrary to everyone else cited in the will, to get what is mine, I need to complete some tasks. They are inside the box, and only you can open it, and decide if I’ve accomplished them or not to his satisfaction. I was told that the attorney’s contact information is inside, too. You have to fill out some paperwork, whether I succeed or not.”
Langdon didn’t touch the box and instead lifted his head. “Thank you for coming all the way here. I’m sad to hear of your uncle’s passing. My sympathies. Unfortunately, I regret I can’t help you. You can show yourself out.”
Taking another sip of his coffee, he went into the living room, dismissing her.
Slowly inching into panic mode, Lani left the box on the counter and followed him. “Wait. Why? Why don’t you want to help me? It’s only a matter of checking if I do the stuff inside the box. Nothing more.”
Langdon stood by the wide window, his gaze lost in the endless forest before him. “Please leave, Miss Mackay.”
“No! Not before you tell me why you won’t help me. I’m not asking for much!”
“You are asking for more than I can give. Didn’t your uncle tell you who I am?”
Lani shook her head. “No. I told you, we were never close. He
disapproved of my life, or more importantly what I am doing with it. His idea of happiness was success, money, and power.”
“You know nothing.”
“Then, tell me!”
Langdon turned, and the ice was starting to melt as simmering anger slowly rose. “Your uncle was a dedicated man. He was the best mentor and offered me a job when I left the Marines. He saw potential in people, detected their true nature, and gave them the chance to explore it, develop it.”
Lani bit her lip in frustration. “Can you be clearer? I don’t need the philosophical part, I need to know the truth.”
This time, Langdon put down his cup and came to tower over her. “Don’t you know why, unlike your own father, Emile never married? Never had a family?”
“I have no clue? He was gay?”
Langdon shook his head. “He didn’t need love or warmth. He needed control. Submission. Your uncle was a cunning businessman, a fierce negotiator, and a dom.”
Lani was in no way prudish, but this revelation felt like a punch to her stomach. Also, it made some weird sense. Maybe this activity suited his personality.
“Okay, thanks for the information. And how does that influence my request and you not helping me?”
He came closer still, his body heat radiating over hers. “I told you that your uncle offered me a job, made me a wealthy businessman. That’s not the only thing he taught me.”
The words dawned on her. “You are a dom, too.”
“Was.” And on that single word, he stepped back. Lani immediately missed his warmth and energy.
Again, he posted himself before the wall of windows, clearly trying to shut her out.