Secrets (Lords of the City)

by Alice Ward

  “Where are we going?” I asked as he stepped past the bed.

  “We can’t mess up your hair and let all of my hard work go to waste,” he teased as he pulled open a dresser drawer. He grabbed a condom, opened it, and rolled it down his shaft. Then, he slipped his arms under mine and backed me against the wall. He pressed his weight into me and lowered his mouth to mine. I kissed him hungrily, urgently, as I wrapped my arms around his neck. Drake bent his knees and I lifted one leg, letting the tip of his cock align with my aching entrance. Drake rose, pushing me up the wall as he filled me with the full length of his throbbing member.

  “Oh, God,” I gasped as my craving was finally satisfied. With gravity working on our side, I was reminded of the night we’d made love in the climbing into the sky. Only this time, Drake reached even deeper as he backed away from the wall, bouncing me in the air. His thick biceps bulged as he thrust into me, holding my full weight. I had no leverage to move against, so I held tight to his shoulders and squeezed my pussy muscles against him as tight as I could.

  “I fucking love you, Chels,” Drake gasped as he pummeled into me.

  I was too close to the edge to form words. My breath quickened and I fell against Drake’s chest as the waves of my orgasm finally washed over me.

  “Yeah, baby?” Drake moaned as I thrashed in his arms.

  “Yeah,” I moaned as he rocked into me again. I gave his trembling cock a final squeeze and Drake cried out, his legs shaking beneath us. He stumbled backwards and collapsed onto the mattress, his cock slipping out of me as we rolled across the bed. We spent a few minutes silently regaining our breath and then Drake pulled me into his arms.

  “If this is the kind of reception I get when I come home, I’m going to have to leave more often,” he teased.

  “Or, you could stick around and I’ll find new and inventive ways to show you how much I appreciate it,” I countered with a grin.

  CHAPTER 3

  e

  “This place is gorgeous,” Piper gasped as we stepped into The Albergo. “But it’s nothing like I imagined. When Drake said it was one of his new buildings, I thought it was something he’d built himself.”

  “Nope, this is a recent purchase, but a very old building,” Oliver explained as he led us through the lobby. “It’s been sitting empty for years. Drake’s arranged to have it cleaned and polished for the gala.”

  The Albergo was indeed a very old building. Pressed tin tiles lined the ceiling, crystal light fixtures hung from the walls, and intricately carved railings sat on either side of a grand staircase. A cleaning crew was polishing tarnished brass fixtures and shining the marble floors. It was the perfect setting for the Founder’s Gala.

  “And this is the ballroom,” Oliver said as he opened a pair of heavy oak doors. “The kitchen will be up and running, so the catering staff can work from there. The rental company will have the tables, chairs, and linens set up a few days before the event. I have a key for you, so you can come and go as you please.” He pulled a silver key from the inside pocket of his suit jacket and tossed it to me.

  “Thanks for meeting us down here,” I replied as I folded my fingers around the cold metal. “We needed to get a look at the room before we finalize all of our decorating plans.”

  “No problem. It’s the least I could do for my celebrity sister,” he teased, his voice dripping with amusement.

  “It was one picture, Ollie. I’m hardly a celebrity,” I reminded him with a blush. After Drake leaked our Delmonico’s reservation to the paparazzi, we arrived at the restaurant to a hoard of photographers. When questioned, Drake announced that he and I were in love. He gave Valintina’s personal shopping business a glowing recommendation and then we excused ourselves to the sanctuary of the restaurant. The entire event still seemed surreal, compounded by the fact that several papers had printed the photos.

  “One picture, so far,” Piper piped in. “I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before you’re a regular in the society section.”

  I shook my head defiantly. “No, that’s the last thing either of us wants. Drake always tried to keep a low profile before we met. He wanted to set the record straight about Valintina, but we have no intentions of becoming one of those tabloid couples.”

  And I have no intention of becoming one of those women who rides a relationship to fame.

  “Drake never answered questions, but that’s never stopped the press from shooting pictures of him,” Oliver countered. “Just look what happened in Florence. I think you need to get used to seeing yourself in print, sis.”

  “I need to get some shots of this room and then head home to pack for Florida,” I said, desperate to change the subject.

  “I’ll get the pictures,” Piper volunteered. She pulled her phone from her purse and started snapping while Oliver and I talked about the upcoming baby shower.

  “Have you talked to Mom lately?” Oliver asked.

  “She’s called three times a day since those pictures were published. You?”

  Oliver nodded and looked down to the burgundy carpet. “Has she given you the impression that she’s not exactly thrilled about your boyfriend?”

  “Impression?” I snorted. “She comes right out and says it. I guess you’ve gotten an earful about it too?”

  He met my eye as he nodded. “She chewed my ass for introducing you to him. I told her she has the wrong impression and Drake’s actually a really good guy. But it didn’t calm her down very much.”

  “I know,” I sighed. “She’ll just have to see for herself this weekend.”

  Oliver nodded again and glanced at his phone. “I need to get back to the office. I have a late meeting. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon?”

  “Yep, the jet’s scheduled to take off at three. That will give us just enough time to land, check in to the resort, and meet Mom and Dad for dinner.”

  Oliver gave me a half hug and kissed the top of my head. “If you’re here past the cleaning crew, don’t forget to lock up. Bye, Piper,” he called over his shoulder as he left the room.

  “Bye, Oliver. Do we need to do anything else while we’re here?” she asked as she approached me.

  I shook my head. “Not today. We’ll buckle down and really get to work once we get back from the trip. Have you started packing?”

  “Not exactly… I’m not sure I’m going to go to Florida, Chelsea,” she confessed as we left the hotel.

  “What are you talking about? You have to come. It wouldn’t be the same without you, Pipes,” I insisted.

  “It just feels weird, going on a trip with Martin after only a few dates. I know he’s really good friends with Oliver, so I understand why he’s going. But going together… it just feels like we’re moving too fast.”

  “I can understand that,” I agreed as we made our way to the subway station. “And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but sometimes fast is good. Look at me and Drake. We’ve only known each other for about a month, but I’ve never felt so sure of anything in my life. You like Martin, don’t you?”

  She grinned. “I like him a lot. That’s why I don’t want to rush things.”

  “You belong at the shower just as much as he does, Piper. And my mother’s on a warpath about Drake. I’m going to need as many people on my side as I can get. Besides, it’s not like we’re going on some romantic vacation. We’re going to a retirement village, where my parents will probably dominate eighty percent of my time. Come to think of it, maybe I don’t want to go either,” I finished with a laugh. “Seriously, I really want you to come. But if you don’t, I’ll completely understand.”

  “Well… it would be my first time on a private jet,” Piper hedged. “Are you really that certain about you and Drake?”

  The words came quickly. Full of certainty. “I really am.”

  “How do you know he’s the one?”

  I tried to find the words, but they wouldn’t come. “I can’t explain it. I just know.”

  ***

  “Ar
e you sure you’re up for this?” I asked Drake as he stared out at the ocean. He turned to me and smiled as he crossed the hotel suite.

  “Not at all, actually,” he confessed with an anxious smile. On the jet, Oliver and I had broken the news that our parents weren’t exactly thrilled about him. I hated seeing the look of disappointment on his face, but I knew it was better than letting him walk into the lion’s den, completely unprepared.

  “Just be yourself,” I advised. “Once they realize you’re not what the papers have made you out to be, they’ll love you as much as I do.”

  “I hope so. I’ve never really done this before, Chelsea,” he said, taking me into his arms.

  “What, met a woman’s parents?” I asked, my voice laden with disbelief. I didn’t like to think about the women who came before me, but I knew they existed. Surely some of them had introduced Drake to their parents.

  “I’ve done the ‘meet the parents’ routine. But I’ve never worried about the parents’ opinion of me. I know how much your family means to you. What if your mom and dad hate me? What if I can’t overcome my reputation?”

  I leaned into his chest and looked up into his gorgeous, nervous eyes. “They might not warm up to you this weekend. But they’ll come around, eventually. They’ll have plenty of time to get to know you, because I have no intention of ever letting you go.” I stood on my tip toes and gave him a soft, reassuring kiss.

  “I wish we could just stay in tonight,” Drake told me as he tightened his grip on my hips.

  “I do too, but we can’t. If we miss dinner, we’ll never hear the end of it.”

  “All right,” he sighed and took a few steps back. “Do I look okay?”

  Drake was wearing a pair of khaki linen slacks and a white button up shirt. The custom tailored clothing was tasteful and showed off his firm body.

  “You look amazing as always,” I assured him. “Now, let’s get to the lobby before Stacey has a panic attack. She’s so worried that something will go wrong this weekend. The last thing I want to do is make everyone late.”

  Drake grabbed a small gift bag from the coffee table, crossed the room, and held open the suite door. “After you.”

  We drew a lot of stares as we made our way down through the resort. It was so strange how I shied away from attention when I was alone but relished it when I was on Drake’s arm. I loved being seen with him and I couldn’t wait for my parents to see us together.

  “Chelsea, you look so beautiful,” Stacey beamed as we joined everyone in the lobby.

  “Thanks,” I replied, brushing the skirt of my cream silk sundress. “Drake bought this for me while he was in Florence. You all look amazing too.”

  Stacey looked radiant in a cornflower blue maternity dress. Piper had opted for a lavender maxi, while Oliver and Martin were dressed identical to Drake.

  “I guess this is the official Boca wardrobe,” Martin joked, pulling at his white shirt.

  “We should get going,” Oliver warned. “You know how much Mom and Dad hate it when we get off schedule.”

  We filed out of the resort and into our rental van. Oliver took the wheel with Stacey in the passenger seat, Piper and Martin in the middle row, and Drake and I tucked into the back. Anxiety hung thick in the air as we made our short, silent trip to my mother’s favorite restaurant. Drake took a deep breath as we pulled into the parking lot.

  “Don’t worry, they’ll love you,” I told him again.

  “I guess we’re about to find out,” he replied.

  I heard my mother’s voice the moment my feet hit the pavement.

  “Oliver! Chelsea,” she cried as she rushed over to hug us. My father followed close behind and we all took turns embracing.

  “Mom, Dad, this is Drake,” I said as I backed out of my father’s arms. Drake extended his hand and Mom grudgingly accepted it.

  “It’s so nice to finally meet you, Melinda,” Drake offered.

  Mom stiffened at his words. “Please, call me Mrs. Tyler. I’ve heard quite a lot about you,” she said, staring him down. Drake swallowed and released her hand as my father stepped between them.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Drake. It was so nice of you to come this weekend.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Tyler,” Drake replied, his shoulders tense.

  Dad waved off his formality. “You can call me Jake. Oliver tells me you’ve got several overseas projects going at the moment. I don’t know if the kids told you, but I specialized in international law.”

  Drake smiled at him. “Yes, Oliver mentioned it. It’s obvious you passed a lot of knowledge onto your son, he’s helped me out of a few tight jams since he came onboard.”

  “That’s good to hear,” Dad said, draping an arm over Oliver’s shoulder. My mother didn’t try to hide her annoyance at the friendly exchange happening before her. Stacey grabbed her by the arm and distracted her by introducing Martin, and then we all followed her into the restaurant. The hostess knew my parents by name and led us to a long table near the far windows.

  Once we were all seated, Dad pointed at the gift bag Drake had sat on the table. “What’s that?” he asked.

  Drake picked up the package and extended it to my mother. “This is just a small token, to thank you for your hospitality this weekend,” he explained.

  Mom pulled out the tissue paper with her nose in the air.

  “Chelsea mentioned that you love mother of pearl,” Drake continued as Mom opened a small black velvet box. “I saw the bracelet when I was in Florence and I thought you might like it.”

  Mom held up a wide gold bangle inlaid with iridescent mother of pearl. “Hmm… did your ‘personal shopper’ help you pick this out?” she asked critically.

  God Mom, could you at least try to be polite?

  If anyone else had spoken to Drake like that, I’d have kicked them under the table. But I couldn’t do that to my mother, so I stared at her defiantly and looped my arm around Drake’s.

  “No, I picked that one out all on my own,” he patiently replied.

  “Valintina does have wonderful taste, though. She picked out this sundress,” I said. I kept my tone light and happy to let my mother know that her attitude wasn’t going to change my mind about Drake.

  “It’s a beautiful bracelet, Drake,” Dad offered. “That was very thoughtful of you.”

  Before Mom could speak again, Stacey jumped to my rescue once more. “I wish I had a personal shopper to handle all of the baby stuff. I swear I get overwhelmed every time I step into a boutique. People start asking questions about our parenting philosophies and I get the overwhelming urge to run out of the store screaming.”

  “Oh honey, every new mother feels that way,” Mom assured her, her voice suddenly soothing. “I remember when I found out I was pregnant with Oliver…”

  While Mom described her first pregnancy, I leaned back in my chair and resigned myself to the longest dinner of my life.

  ***

  The following afternoon was spent in the gathering room of my parents’ retirement condo, oohing and ahhing over crib sheets, layettes, and a surprisingly large assortment of handmade quilts and baby blankets. Mom still hadn’t warmed up to Drake, but she couldn’t help but smile when Stacey opened his gift.

  “Drake, this is beautiful,” Stacey gasped as she held up the sterling silver baby rattle from Tiffany’s. “You shouldn’t have.”

  “It was my pleasure,” he insisted. “When the baby’s born, I’ll take it back to the store and have his or hers name and birthday engraved on the handle.”

  “This is really awesome, dude,” Oliver said as he pulled him into a half hug.

  Stacey moved on to the next present and I saw my dad slip out onto the deck. I leaned into Drake and he lowered his head.

  “Can you survive without me for a few minutes? I’m going to sneak out and talk to my dad,” I whispered into his ear.

  “I’ll be fine,” he assured me with an affectionate squeeze. He kissed me on the cheek and I quietly followed
my dad out onto the deck. I found him standing by the railing, puffing on a cigar.

  “I can’t believe Mom hasn’t made you give those up,” I said, secretly loving the sweet tobacco scent.

  “She knows a lost cause when she sees one,” he laughed. I joined him at the railing and we looked out at the beach together.

  “So you think she’ll eventually come around with Drake?” I asked, trying to mask the hope in my voice as indifference.

  Dad shrugged. “Time will tell, sweetheart.”

  “What do you think of him? Give me your honest opinion.” My father was a man of few words but when he did voice his opinion, I took it to heart.

  “I think that this will either be the best or worst decision you’ve ever made, and nothing in between,” he answered, his voice even.

  I shifted my weight and watched the tide roll in. “Do you care to elaborate?”

  Dad stubbed out his cigar and wrapped an arm around me. “I noticed the way Drake looks at you, Chelsea. His feelings for you are definitely genuine. But I’m not quite sure the rest of him is. If he’s truly the man he presents himself to be, I think you’ll be incredibly happy together. But if this is an act and the papers have been portraying him accurately… well. I’ve noticed the way you look at him too. And I think that would be the kind of heartbreak that changes you.”

  “I know the real Drake, Daddy. I need you and Mom to trust my judgment.”

  “I understand that, Chelsea. And the longer Drake behaves himself, the more Mom will come around. It would help if you’d keep us in the loop about things, instead of letting us find out about your boyfriend on the internet,” he added, lowering his tone.

  “I’m sorry about that.” I cringed. “I’ll do better. Mom’s probably noticed we’re missing. We should get back in there.”

  Dad waved off the suggestion and relit his cigar. “You go in. I’m tired of watching the sewing circle women trying to one up each other’s gifts. I’ll be in when it’s time for cake.”

  As I moved for the door, it swung open and Drake stepped out onto the deck.

  “I was just coming to join you. Has Stacey finished opening her presents?” I asked.