“Judging from all the armed men outside, I’d think you were preparing for a war.”
The statement came out as a joke, but I knew nothing about this was amusing. He leaned back in his chair, looking at me.
“These men I’m going against are dangerous. They’re detached from their emotions, which means they have no remorse. They’re also thoroughly trained.” He looked back down at his papers for a moment. “Those men outside are necessary, believe me. I probably need more.”
I took a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk. My mind had started grasping at everything.
“I spoke with Logan. He mentioned something that made me question Wesley’s motives.” I leaned forward, my mouth dry. “He said the web of lies was bigger than I think.”
My father stared at me. The veins in his neck pulsed, and the paper in front of him was quickly crumbled and thrown across the room.
“I’ve already told you about him, Alyssa. I told you his motives.”
I looked at him, his eyes shifting around the room. There was more to Wesley’s involvement.
“What are you hiding from me, Dad? Why not just put everything on the table and let me decide the importance of it?”
The room was quiet. Just like those last few seconds in a suspenseful movie right before everything you assumed shattered because the secret was much larger than you expected. As the seconds ticked by, I thought he planned on telling me more…right before I was politely dismissed.
“Get some sleep, angel. Tomorrow, everything will change. You need to be well rested. Physically and mentally. You don’t have room for any more distractions.”
I stood, knowing my father’s decision was final. On my way back to my room, I couldn’t help but think he was hiding something. I knew everything I needed to know pertaining to my husband…his lies, his secrets…but Wesley was a mystery.
As I climbed into bed and stared at the ceiling, the web of lies Logan mentioned taunted me, interspersed with flashes of the day my mother was killed and the man who spared me. Could the web really be that small? Could the masked man I had seen in so many of my nightmares really be the one to break through my walls?
I pushed the thoughts away because if they were true, it would make everything I’d felt, everything we built, invalid. With a secret that big, I just didn’t see a way for us to get past it.
Chapter Eighteen
Wesley
I STRAIGHTENED FROM THE railing as I looked down at everything I had built. The club was at capacity, a line stretching around the building. Drinks were delivered on golden platters, and the crowd swarmed with celebrities and the elite. I heard laughter and raised voices, but none of it could drown out my thoughts.
“He’s here, sir.”
I turned to face the woman delivering the message, her large eyes widening when she saw the expression on my face. Anger mixed with aggravation. I would normally greet my employees with an appreciative smile, but I wasn’t prepared to face him.
“He’s in one of the VIP boxes, sir. The second one.” She quickly excused herself.
I straightened my suit, giving myself time to calm down and prepare for what I knew was coming. Then I walked down the spiral stairs and across the club. He would either show understanding or end me.
***
The club offered four enclosed boxes at five thousand dollars a night. They were situated in the corners and quite similar to my office. The one-way glass gave you privacy, but also allowed you to see everyone on the outside. Most nights, they sold out to wealthy men wanting to show off their cash, but there were also nights they were used for more important things. Business mergers. Alliances. The unfortunate instances when someone had to be taught a lesson.
I placed my hand on the doorknob of the box my father occupied and turned it slowly, accepting the fact I might be taught a lesson in my own club. I was thankful he had the decency to do it privately, even if I was forced to look at everything I owned, knowing he would soon take it away from me.
Surprisingly, he was alone. No woman fondling him. No guards posted. I could sense our meeting was of importance, and his facial expression showed he wasn’t happy about it.
“He hit some more of our spots, leaking information to the police, making me look bad in front of people who have learned to respect me and are aware of the consequences if they don’t.”
He said the sentence so quietly, I could barely make out his words.
I walked into the room, closing the door behind me. I took a seat beside him on the couch. Beneath the anger on his face, I also saw pain.
“Now I find myself cleaning up situations that should have never occurred, bribing people I normally wouldn’t have to. Before these recent unfortunate mishaps, I had control of everything. Now that power is slipping through my fingers, putting everything I built at risk. The only thing I had to use against the person behind these issues seems to have fallen off the radar, leaving me with nothing to defend myself or this business.”
I shifted, running my hands through my hair. We were in an uncomfortable situation, both knowing what neither of us wanted to voice.
“I shouldn’t have hung up on you the other day. That was disrespectful, but—”
He interrupted. “Do you know what it feels like to have something you worked so hard to achieve slip through your fingers, Wesley?” He motioned toward the scene outside the room. The club. The people. My legacy. “Could you imagine all of this gone in the blink of an eye?”
I leaned back on the couch, my eyes trained on what I had developed. The idea my father originally thought was a waste.
Now, The Siren was booming, and everyone wanted to invest. It appeared I had an eye for what others didn’t. Had a hold on something many others wanted control of. It was the best place to handle all your dealings, legal or otherwise, but that wasn’t the reason it was priceless to me. In fact, I had done everything in my power to prevent that from happening, eventually failing. It was priceless to me because it granted me freedom. When it was all said and done, it was mine.
I looked over at the man threating to take it away from me. “No, I can’t,” I admitted. “I would fight until the end.”
My father took a sip of the dark liquor in his rocks glass, set it back on the table, then leaned back on the couch, looking over at me.
“This could’ve been avoided, Wesley, but you’ve always been hardheaded. The one who wasn’t interested in the life many men would kill to have.” He shook his head. “Your own friend even took the bait, just to get one foot in the door.”
I disregarded his reference to Michael, knowing it hadn’t just been greed. He had been threatened, probably followed. But he still ended up betraying me.
“That was a low blow, Stinson. You didn’t need to involve him.”
“And you didn’t have to kill him.”
I stiffened, giving him a look that caused him to shift uncomfortably. “He was worthless to me after his betrayal. It needed to be done.”
“Which is why I don’t understand. Why are you fighting who you are? I’m sure you had no remorse when you gave the order to kill a man you’ve known for well over a decade.”
His comment made me stand from the couch. I walked over to the one-way glass, looking out at the club, then focused back on my father.
“I did have remorse, Stinson. Your way of sneaking into my life has cost me a friend, not to mention a few weeks of sleep.” My eyes hardened. “What do you plan to achieve from this? What is it you want from me?
He leaned forward, his eyes serious. “I want what I’ve always wanted, Wesley. For you to finally take an interest in what I’ve created, something I plan to leave to you.” He finished off his drink, then sent the glass flying across the room. Neither of us flinched when it crashed into the wall and shattered. “I want you to take a stand on something you’ve been avoiding for years. If this is how you plan on doing things, running my business into the ground, you’re of no use to me and might as well take your place
beside your late friend six feet in the ground…or wherever the hell you put him after you had him killed.”
I stared at the man I was a carbon copy of. The only differences were his age, his hair, his insensitivity. A man whose words were cold as ice and sliced through me so quickly, I wasn’t prepared for the remark that flew out of my mouth. It crossed a dangerous line. One I knew he wouldn’t appreciate me breaching.
“What if I told you I don’t want anything to do with your business or this whole operation that’s ruined lives, including my own?”
He laughed, no humor in the sound. His gaze showed no sympathy or understanding for the way I felt.
“Ruined your life?” The question was rhetorical. “My business has done everything but ruin your life. It’s given you luxury, money, women.” He motioned around the room. “It’s given you this. I’m tired of you playing this card, Wesley. It’s time for you to man up and take your place seriously.”
He stood, striding up to me. His gray eyes left no room to argue. “You can start by hiring someone to run this place so you can run the business. This mishap with Mrs. Johnson has left you no room to argue. Once again, I’m giving you a pass, Wesley. Don’t make me regret it.”
He placed his hands into his pockets. “It appears we have a lot to clean up. Especially since our profits have been targeted. One of the many things that keeps us afloat.”
I leaned against the frame of the glass, arms crossed. What I assumed would happen when I walked into this room didn’t. Him having me taken somewhere to be tortured. Him ending me on the spot. I looked at him curiously.
“Why aren’t I being punished?” I pressed. “Why, after everything I’ve done to disobey your orders, are you willing to give me a chance to make amends?”
His brows furrowed as he cocked his head to study me. “You are my eldest son, Wesley. The heir to all my achievements. No matter what you believe or accept, this will all fall into your hands eventually, whether I die of old age or assassination.”
I turned toward the window, refusing to reply to what I knew I would never be able to escape. He didn’t want Calvin or Justin to run things. He wanted me, regardless of my reluctance.
“I see myself in you,” he confessed. “I know it isn’t something you take pride in, but it’s true. The way you react to issues, work under pressure…” His voice grew cautious, “make tough decisions. Those are all signs of leadership. Your brothers are good, but they will never compare to you, Wesley.” He swallowed, moving closer, placing his hand on my shoulder. “This has nothing to do with favoritism. It’s just the fact.”
“Justin would jump at the chance to hear those words, Stinson. He would thrive off knowing you saw greatness in him.” I looked over at him. “Why deprive him and put this debt on me?”
My father stilled, but I could tell it wasn’t because of the words I spoke. There was something else.
“Justin is the reason I have cops disrupting my business. He’s the reason I have colleagues questioning my power. He’s brought shame to our name, Wesley. I think I dodged a bullet when I focused my attention in your direction.” He was starting to lose focus. “His weaknesses outweigh his strengths.”
“Don’t you ever wonder why? What would cause him to betray us? Calvin and I both visited, trying to help him. His betrayal doesn’t make sense.”
My father walked over to the bar and poured more liquor into a glass. He then took a seat on the couch with a sigh.
“I think the cat’s out of the bag, son. Justin knows the truth. The reason I’ve been wary of him since the day he was born.”
“And why is that?” I replied, intrigued.
“Because he isn’t mine, Wesley. Justin is Fredrick Hall’s son.”
***
Shocked, I pushed away from the window, moving closer to the couch. “Excuse me?”
My father kept his composure. His drink in his hand, he looked up at me. “I said Justin isn’t mine.”
I paced in front of him. “I don’t understand. What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said.”
I took a seat next to him, brows furrowed. “How is that possible?”
He tossed back his drink, shrugging. “It’s simple. Your mother cheated on me, and when she did, she chose one of my most powerful allies. Justin was born nine months later.”
I shifted in my seat. The news was so far-fetched, it was hard to believe. My father took that moment to pour me a glass, then poured himself another. He handed it to me and sat back down, the strain on his face readily apparent. This powerful man held a secret I knew had to be hard to bear, but I still wasn’t fully convinced.
“Why don’t I believe you?” I asked, sipping my drink. “Why do I feel like this is another one of your games?”
He placed his empty glass on the table and turned to face me, the look on his face sinister, albeit troubled.
“Because you believe what any young boy would. Your mother’s a saint. The illusion every child creates in their head. It’s similar to a fairy tale, but when you grow up, Wesley, you soon learn a fairy tale is all it will ever be. It isn’t real. It’s a fabrication our minds create.”
I swallowed, rubbing my hands together. “So you’re claiming to be innocent? You’re saying my mother was the sinner and you weren’t?”
His palms rubbed his knees as he closed his eyes, trying to catch his bearings. When he opened them, he seemed more calm.
“I won’t sit here and claim to be a saint, son. I won’t pretend I haven’t killed and tortured my fair share of people. I’ll even admit to ruining lives, ripping apart families, torturing people for substantial amounts of money.” He paused. “After all, that is how I built this empire. I’m just saying your mother wasn’t a saint, either. She slept with Fredrick knowing the shame it would bring to me. The pain I would feel when I found out the truth. I carried my suspicions for years until I was brave enough to get a DNA test.”
His eyes filled with disgust. “I watched Justin for years, noticing no similarities to me. As the years went by, my meetings with Fredrick started to reveal the truth. His eyes. His temper. I prayed I was just imagining it, but when the test came back, I finally had proof.”
“If this were such a betrayal, why not confront her? Why not make her pay for what she had done?”
“Regardless of how you may view me, Wesley, I’m only ruthless when it’s necessary. It’s how I remain on top. How I keep things in order.”
His eyes grew distant. The pain hidden underneath was difficult for me to watch.
“I loved your mother, Wesley. She helped start this business. She was the beauty. I was the orchestrator. We stood side by side, demanding respect from everyone who crossed our path. It worked…until I started to venture out on my own, cheating on her like it was second nature. This life had started changing me, and she saw it. She felt me slipping away, but instead of asking her for help, I hid it.”
His voice grew stronger. “She was a woman scorned, so she retaliated, crippling me in the process, challenging my manhood, my power. Still, we both knew if word got out, our kingdom would fall. Our respect would be questioned and challenged. So we agreed to pretend.
“I kept my end of the bargain for years, until I saw an opportunity I couldn’t resist. Alek Johnson came to me with a request. I used the opportunity to handle a few issues of my own. Bury a few demons. It was the perfect plan.”
I looked at my father. The ice that had begun to thaw freezing again. He’d dragged so many people into his retaliation against Fredrick, playing us like puppets.
“You convinced Alek it would be beneficial to kill Fredrick’s wife because you wanted to even the score,” I whispered. “You knew he would eventually come back and blame Alek because he had been blackmailing him.”
“Yes. I was aware he would find his way out of the wreckage I had thrown at him and I would be in the clear, but there was one loose end that slipped through my fingers. One piece that got away.”
&nbs
p; “His daughter,” I said softly, stiffening.
“Exactly. She was there the night her mother was killed. She told the police about the men in the masks. It described our operation vividly. My fingerprints were all over it. I knew Fredrick would sniff me out within seconds, but before I could reach her, she was gone. She vanished without a trace. Eventually, he flaunted her on Alek’s arm, but I knew he was watching, which was why I stood down, keeping the information to myself.” He clenched his fist. “I also knew she had already said enough. I assumed she was idle in her position until I started hearing Fredrick was coming.
“That was why it would have been beneficial for you to tell me what was going on, Wesley. I didn’t start getting hints until a few days ago, yet you’ve known for weeks. Weeks. Now he’s put together his game plan, it’s apparent you don’t have her, and we have no leads.”
He stood up, pacing quickly. “When he went after Alek, he did what I thought he would. Ask for help. But instead of him coming to me with it, he ran to you, and you failed to pull your weight. Your own personal agenda has made this situation much harder than it needs to be. How about we discuss that agenda…”
My father poured us both another drink, then sat back down. “I’ve cleared my whole schedule for you, son. Please…” He got comfortable on the couch. “Enlighten me.”
***
They claimed innocence was overrated. It always painted a beautiful picture, but when you looked closely, it was still tainted with corruption, lies, secrets. I was a man who wore many masks, switching them so often, I could hardly tell which one was really me, which one was my truth. The question my father asked required me to admit to many faults. Confess to ones I even convinced myself I didn’t commit. It was the way my mind worked. The way I learned to live with everything I had done.
“I don’t know what you mean,” I responded, my gaze leaving his. I focused on the crowd in the club. Their smiling faces. The easiness they portrayed knowing they would go home to their simple lives, leaving everything from the previous night in the past. Everything I had done followed me around, constantly reminding me…
The Illicit Revealed (The Illicit Series Book 2) Page 15