by H M Wolfe
''Isn't he the one with a dead fish face? Wasn't he the one that couldn't stand me, even back when we were just dating?'' Isobel was boiling in anger at the idea that her kids were to spend time in the company of her arch-nemesis. ''Now I know who to blame if the little ones don't love me anymore,'' she threatened, casting an evil look Vin's way.
''Our children are not little anymore. They are eight and five, and their names are Wilmot and Marinette, in case you've forgotten. And no, Warrick hasn't told them bad things about you or your daddy dearest. He's been too busy attending meetings with their teachers and school counselors. At least, when he wasn't looking for hospitals and treatment options for me, that is.'' Vinson was almost to his breaking point. He was just about ready to snap at any moment. This woman had balls, he thought.
''Warrick called. He said the fantastic two are on their way here. The troopers are all set up, and they are waiting...'' Valeran abruptly stopped, eyes widening at the sight of the woman. ''What the hell are you doing here!?''
''Seeing my husband and children, obviously.'' Isobel caustically replied, throwing him a suspicious look. ''What are you doing here?''
''Helping my brother raise my nephew and niece, obviously.'' Valeran imitated her, a hint of amusement in his voice. ''You haven't evolved at all, have you? I'm disappointed to see you are the same superficial, stupid bitch from three years ago.'' Vale was doing an internal dance, throwing the words out. He'd waited quite a while to do so.
Isobel opened her mouth to reply, but the arrival of an elegant, polished, black car drew her attention. And so did the two men getting out of it. One of them, in his late thirties to early forties, had a dominant, authoritative air about him and was treating his younger partner with a lot of care and consideration. It was as if he was the most important person on Earth.
However, it was the younger of the two that intrigued Isobel the most. Slim, but not skinny, he was wearing his clothes and accessories with an innate elegance. There was something very familiar about that distinguished man. With his graceful facial features and the melancholy air about him, there was something the woman couldn't quite put her finger on.
They stepped inside the house, the older one having an arm wrapped protectively around his partner's slim waist. They headed straight to the kitchen, where Vinson, Isobel, and a still shocked Valeran were currently standing. The two men deliberately ignored the woman, hugging the men instead.
''Hello, Ian, how are you? Warrick, wow, you look great! What's your secret?'' Vinson looked at the younger of the two men.
''Is there something we should know? Does it involve a certain wide, silk red ribbon?'' Valeran asked, blushing violently.
''The ribbon, the ice cubes, all of the things I'm going to tell you about, with Master's permission, of course.'' Warrick smiled shyly, casting a glance in the handsome, older man's direction.
''Permission granted, pet.'' The man softly spoke, kissing his sub's temple. ''Vinson, who's your charming lady friend? You haven't introduced her to us.'' he continued in a more caustic voice.
''Oh, right. She's just my ex, Isobel.'' The master of the house waved his hand indifferently. ''Apparently, she's decided to play the good wife and perfect mother. Even after almost three years of absence.'' He snarled at the woman in front of them.
''Let her, then,'' Ian spoke in a cold, professional voice. ''If the kiddies decide they want the lady back in her life, who are we to oppose them?'' He shrugged, in an uninterested manner.
''Uncle Ian, Uncle Warrick!'' Marinette came running down the stairs, closely followed by her brother. 'See? I told you they came! You should listen to me next time.''
''This girl is killing me! Really!'' the eight-year-old huffed as he rolled his eyes. ''She was this close to breaking her neck running down the stairs.'' He held up two of his fingers about a half-inch apart.
''Hello, Wilmot. I missed you. Don't you want to come over here and hug your momma?'' Isobel's honey-coated voice made both children gasp in surprise.
''No, you only say that now. But you'll get bored with dad and us, again. You did that once, already.'' The eight-year-old cast an accusative look in her direction. ''And it hurt us a lot. But you didn't care at all.'' He wasn't holding anything back with his words.
''You were a meanie!'' Marinette pouted, turning on her heel and seeking refuge in Warrick's welcoming arms.
Wilmot went to Ian, climbed onto his lap, and wrapped his thin hands around the man's neck. Then he laid his head on his broad chest, just over his heart. Like his father's brother, the little boy found comfort and safety in his embrace. And he reveled in the sensation. The boy, as young as he was, knew he could count on Ian's presence anytime he needed it.
All the men focused either on the kids or on preparing their breakfast, deliberately ignoring Isobel. Her frustration was building, and her anger was reaching its boiling point. Leaving her seat, she went straight to her ex, jabbing a finger at him, as she screeched at him. Wilmot thought she sounded like an angry monkey as he silently watched.
''Listen to me, you pathetic loser! If you think you can ignore me and get away with it, you are very wrong. Me coming here was a reasonable act, a peace offering. But, since you don't appreciate it, I'm going to unleash holy hell on you and your minions here. A complex team, formed of the best lawyers in the country, is ready to take my case. I'm going to take my children back, whether you like it or not. I'll also take this house and everything else you own!''
''Good!'' Vinson shrugged nonchalantly. ''Do what you want, but I'm sure they are no match for Richard Benard. He's the best divorce and custody lawyer in New York City.''
''What a pity that you can't afford his services.'' It was Isobel's turn to shrug nonchalantly. ''I mean, come on. Those expensive cancer treatments must have drained your accounts completely.''
''I may not be able to afford Benard, but my father can. And he will gladly pay to keep his beloved grandchildren out of your reach!'' Vinson spat the words at Isobel.
''And who is this father of yours? The father who magically appeared and is so heavily loaded?'' The woman maliciously grinned at the brothers and Ian.
''Jeremy V. Grant! Now, get the hell out of my house!'' The man coldly spoke, pointing to the door.
CHAPTER 16
''I
can't believe it!'' Isobel thundered into her father's office, her long-oppressed rage flowing like a torrent of hot lava. ''Jeremy V-fucking Grant, of all people! Who would've thought that my pathetic excuse of a husband is so heavily loaded?''
''Indeed, sweetheart. We're going to need another plan, because your father-in-law is, most likely, the richest man on the planet.'' Chester Hoskins scratched the back of his head. ''In addition to his financial consulting and investment company, he owns a lot of profitable ventures. Angering him won't be any good for our business; on the contrary, it could ruin us.''
''Dad!'' Isabel huffed and threw herself into the chair situated in front of his desk. ''I didn't come all the way here for you to tell me how rich my ex's father is. I know how dangerous it would be for us to anger him. Do you have a real solution for this genuine, severe problem?'' She carefully examined her manicure for any flaws.
''Yes, but you are not going to like it, honey,'' Hoskins spoke in a meek voice. His daughter was the most vital thing in his life, and she had him wrapped around her finger. ''You have to go back to that house and find out everything about your ex and his brothers. To be honest, the things you've told me about that Warrick fellow has scared me more than the prospect of his father unleashing hell on us.'' Chester shivered as he thought of those things she had mentioned.
''Don't worry about that one.'' Isobel waved at Chester in a dismissive gesture. ''He's a harmless creature, just like the little painter. It's his protector that I'm worried about the most. He had a certain knowing expression on his face and a pair of cold eyes. Those eyes pierced straight into my soul.'' The woman involuntarily shivered at the memory of Ian staring at her.
> ''Listen to me, sweetie. You have to go back there and be as humble as you can. Get under everyone's skin, but play nice. It's only until we can gather information and use everything we can against them in the upcoming war. Because it will be one, especially if Jeremy V. Grant figures out how we used his precious son during the time you were married to him.''
Chester Hoskins fell silent, but the little cogs inside his head were spinning a thousand miles an hour. For years, he and his daughter Isobel had been running a complicated fraudulent scheme, one that had brought them millions of dollars. Their construction company was in a precarious financial state, but it only served as a cover for the other, more profitable operation. If the construction company folded, they would be in a lot of hot water.
Hiring someone intelligent and hard-working, willing to spend long hours and put a lot of effort into making the company productive was a great idea. Except there were no candidates for the job. Then, Isobel had come up with the idea of luring her boyfriend-not-boyfriend, who happened to like her a lot, into a gold and honey trap.
The plan was straightforward. She would seduce the naive Vinson Roberts and have him get her pregnant. She knew he was so old-fashioned that he'd ask for her hand in marriage. Then, Chester would come into the picture, offering his son-in-law to be a well-paid job. That job would cover all the expenses that raising a family incurred. The young man took the bait. He gave up his studies in architecture, much his brother, Warrick's disappointment, and married the pregnant Isabel.
Gradually, Vinson delved into the work, becoming more and more estranged from his brothers. They strongly disapproved of his marriage with Isobel, and the only one from that family who hadn't lost their enthusiasm was his mother, Maeve. However, the plan was for the young man to become completely isolated from his family. They couldn't take the chance he'd tell someone about his problems, should he detect any.
But then, Vinson become suddenly ill and was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. All the carefully designed plans of the Hoskins' going down the drain. Cutting their losses was the best thing they could do at that time. So, at her father's advice, Isobel left her husband and their two young children behind. It was the best, but also the less inspired decision they'd ever made in that situation.
Neither Chester Hoskins nor his daughter could have anticipated the surprising turn of events. First, it was Vinson's brothers' unexpected reactions that surprised them. They had chosen to show their support instead of turning their backs on him. Then, the discovery that the man who'd fathered his ex-son-in-law was none other than the stock market guru, Jeremy V. Grant. Chester knew they were going to have nothing but trouble.
And last but not least, it was the miraculous, complete healing of the young man, which was the biggest of all shocks. When he'd found out about it, Hoskins decided it was the time to launch their attack. Vinson wouldn't have time to come forward and tell anyone what he had discovered about his and Isobel's shady business dealings.
They'd started to spread rumors about some unnamed, terrible thing that had happened to the woman, all while putting together a team of attorneys specialized in divorce and custody. They wanted to ensure the man's obedience. All that didn't work the way it should have. It was like someone watched their every move, and the father-daughter duo was forced to come out into the open.
To his great frustration, Chester Hoskins was also forced to play small and humble. He had wanted to march in triumphantly, once the only witness of his illegal activities was reduced to silence, as initially planned. However, as the man raised his head, a defying look in his eyes, he'd decided the delay would be only temporary. In the end, he swore to himself; he'd be the winner.
''Isobel, baby, we have to talk,'' Vinson said, a pile of documents in his shaky hands. ''The results of the tests arrived today, and...''
''Will you stop calling me baby and those other ridiculous names!? I'm your wife, not a goddamn child! You know I can't stand that!'' The woman spat out in a high-pitched voice.
''Sorry, it won't happen again. But we still have to talk about the tests and the implications of the results.'' Vinson's reply came out in a broken voice. ''This is a pretty serious matter and...''
''You know, sometimes I wonder if you are really stupid or just faking it.'' Isobel raised her head from her phone's screen, giving her husband a despite-filled look. ''No matter is serious unless I decide otherwise. Nothing is serious when it comes to your unimportant person. And since when have you been doing tests behind my back?'' She asked with a sneer in her words.
''It wasn't behind your back. I told you about those tests quite a while ago.'' Vinson calmly spoke, although he was screaming on the inside. He wanted for it all to be over. ''And I don't know what I 've done to you to deserve this miserable treatment.'' he continued. ''It's true that your father owns the company. But, if it weren't for my work, it would be in the same disastrous financial situation that it was in when I was hired.''
''OK, you won.'' Isobel let out an annoyed huff. ''What's this all about? What's so important about those tests, that I have to stop messaging one of my best friends from high school?'' Isobel groaned as she laid down her phone.
''I'll get straight to the point. That way, it's easier for both of us.'' Vinson barely whispered. ''These tests are not the usual kind of tests. They are only used as a means of detecting a certain, very rare type of blood cancer. They came back positive.''
Head propped in his hands, Vinson's recalled the woman's harsh reaction to the news, the venomous words she spat at him while packing her suitcases. She'd left without looking back. Without kissing their children goodbye. Without a kind word for him, the fool who'd broken his back slaving for her heartless father's company.
In the middle of all the chaos, emptiness, and devastation in his life, the first person Vinson messaged was Warrick. He'd been the first person who'd openly expressed his disagreement from the beginning when he'd brought up the subject of marrying Isobel. Thirty minutes later, his quiet, reserved brother was in his living-room, holding him while he sobbed his heart out.
No questions asked—no caustic comments. No, I told you so, none of the things Vinson expected Warrick to do once he finished telling him the compressed version of the story. Instead, the man messaged someone, then started to make a plan. The whole time speaking in the calmest, but also warmest voice Vinson had ever heard from him. Much to Vinson's surprise, Warrick took over management of his situation.
Another hour later, Valeran joined them, too, and adhered to his brother's plan without any reservations at all. Starting from that day, the brothers divided up their responsibilities. Warrick being in charge of the children's education, as he attended all the meetings with the school counselors and teachers. Valeran, on the other hand, took over the other jobs, like cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, and all the other household chores.
The buzz of his phone brought Vinson back from his not-so-pleasant trip down memory lane. It was a message from Ian, reminding him about the meeting they'd established the week before. They were to discuss what Dom training involved. The man was not in the mood for that kind of talk, but he couldn't find it in him to say no.
''Hello! How are you? And don't tell me everything's OK, cause I'm not going to buy it.'' Ian gave his sub's brother a scrutinizing look. It was an hour later, and they were comfortably seated in the living-room.
Vinson sighed and decided to open up to Ian. ''Nothing's alright. I'm powerless and helpless. What kind of man I am, if I can't do anything to protect my children and lover from those who want to make them suffer?''
''A good one, who can't deal things by himself. One who needs the help and support of his family and close friends. All you have to do is ask, and we'll come to the rescue.'' He spoke in a voice Vinson visualized as his Dom's voice. ''And now, back to the reason I'm here in the first place.''
''Look, Ian. To be honest, I don't think that the actual circumstances...What I want to say is that I don't think I could focus o
n the training right now. Not when I risk losing my children. They are more important than...''
''Those outside the lifestyle think that only the sub needs to be disciplined, but they can't be more wrong.'' The older man calmly spoke, patting Vinson on the shoulder. ''The training is all about finding the best solutions to balance your needs and those of your sub. You want to see things clearer and to be creative in those solutions.''
''I see what you are trying to get at.'' Warrick's brother genuinely smiled for the first time in almost a week. ''My current situation requires creativity and clarity in thinking, but also the help of those close to me. Do you think I should talk to my father and the others about it? Do you think they can help me with this?'' Vinson realized he needed to open himself up to the rest of the family regarding his inner fight.
''They, my beloved sub, and I.'' The Dom smirked, reading the emotions on Vin's face clearly. ''We could include Valeran, or we can keep him out of the crossfire, as you see fit.'' He continued on a more serious tone. ''Of course, there is also the option of including him from the start. If you know him for a good actor, that is.''