Public (Private Book 2)

by Xavier Neal

  Monica immediately says with sincerity, “Thank you, Wes.”

  Unsure of what else to do I simply offer her a nod.

  After receiving a heartfelt apology for trying to ruin our lives out of spite, we spend the remainder of the day talking to Evie, other press outlets she coordinated with to clean up my name and place the focus back on the good things going on like the high performing success of the Morgan brand rather than the paternity party gone wrong. Brynley and I finally manage to relocate to the manor for the night a little after lunch, not only needing to avoid the press, but a break from the constant commotion of the city.

  She slips away to spend time with her mother while I retreat to my office for some space. For hours I avoid anything that can relay to me how I’m trending in the world and focus on something positive. Trenton’s nephew’s program seems promising. It appears to be a great place to donate and actually witness the funds make a difference. Unlike traditional, larger name foundations, Kellan appears to be completely hands on. I trail through testimonies from other donors. Pictures. Their website. Reports from newspapers and magazines all commending him on his excellence.

  The idea of funding him to run something similar on a much larger scale creeps into my mind just as there’s a light tap on my open office door.

  Seeing Lauren’s face surprises me. “Do you mind if I come in?”

  “Not at all.”

  I watch her shut the door behind her and cross in front of my desk. “Busy?”

  “Just looking over a new charity I may be donating to.”

  “Ocean?”

  “Children.”

  She smiles proudly. “They are the future and certainly worth protecting.”

  Her word choice sends me back into my chair. Remorse over mistreating hers snakes around my vocal chords. “I’m sorry for the way I treated you and Brynley. You deserve an apology not only for putting you in the middle of Clark and I’s disagreement, but for forcing you to witness your daughter in so much pain and not being able to help. I’m sure seeing her upset wasn’t easy.”

  Lauren pulls over a chair and shrugs. “She’s always been one to cry alone rather than let many people see her true feelings. It’s why the way she opens up to you and Calen is so significant. My daughter is hard headed, stubborn, and guarded, even from me most of the time.”

  I offer her a soft smile.

  “Brynley explained to me what happened today. She also mentioned you were still unsettled about the situation regardless of now having answers.”

  “I honestly don’t have enough.”

  “Do you think shy of asking him every little detail possible you ever will?”

  My face unconsciously twitches a glare.

  “Do you know what a parable is, Weston?”

  “A made-up story to teach a moral lesson?”

  “Very good. I’m going to tell you one.”

  I fold my hands tightly together in my lap at the same time my head tilts in confusion. “You do know I’m an adult who can understand pure advice offered to them?”

  She ignores my statement and begins, “Once upon a time there was a king who had been bitten by the Golden Bug. It turned him into a cold, cruel, and uncaring king. He sought ruthless ways to acquire riches upon riches and conquer kingdoms upon kingdoms.”

  Obviously I see where this is going….

  “Even after the queen bore him an heir, his greedy ways continued. He spent ludicrous amounts on extravagant clothing she did not want. Insisted every night be accompanied with the most expensive alcohol he could find. His drinking was the real nursing of his evil ways. Most of the kingdom had no idea about the battle he faced with the bottle, but it was as real as any adversary he sent his men to face. As the young prince got older, the queen often feared for his life because of the drinking. One night, it all became too much for her to handle any longer. During dinner, he grabbed the prince too roughly for refusing to eat his peas.”

  Now confused, I press my lips tightly together.

  “He almost snapped the young prince’s wrist and the queen knew, she knew, she had to do whatever it took to protect her son. So, she gave the king a choice. When morning came, he could leave or she would. The next day he made the sober decision not to rip his child and wife away from the palace so long as she agreed that after enough time had passed they would talk. Attempt to reconcile. She promised and off he went.”

  Is this….Is she telling me….

  “The ruthless king realized during his fleeing from the castle he had a problem that he needed to be solved, so he set out on the quest to do it. To give up the treacherous ways of greed and alcohol. To rid his system of the Golden Bug poison. He bought a small home in a very poor village. He went to extreme lengths to keep the kingdom from knowing why he had stepped away from his throne and continued the façade everything was as perfect as ever. However, the ruthless king knew he couldn’t defeat the poison in his system all alone and hired help, including a homeless woman who had recently become pregnant.”

  Oh shit.

  “The two quickly built a beautiful friendship. She helped keep him sober, and he helped keep her healthy. He had the local doctor tend to her pregnancy in private as to not start new rumors about her in the village. He kept her fed. Loved. And in return she reminded him of the man he was before he had been bitten by the Golden Bug. Eventually, their relationship turned into something more than just friendship. However, shortly after the village woman gave birth to her child, the king realized something very important. He longed for his own child. The one who bared his name. The one he had with the queen. The one he had big dreams of ruling the kingdom with passion and purpose. He then realized it wasn’t the young village woman he loved, but the queen. He came to the conclusion the woman he had spent months caring for, who had spent months helping him get past the sickness from the Golden Bug, was nothing more than an angel sent to assist him in finding his way home. So, the king left the young woman with promises to be there the best he could. Upon his return to the palace and reconciliation with the queen, it was decreed for the household to never speak about the time or what they knew. The king and the queen also came to an agreement, feeling indebted to the village woman for bringing them back together, to give her riches for all her living years to help with the child. Her thanks was her silence about the king’s journey back to his queen.”

  My mouth moves yet not a single word seeps out.

  “After the king and the queen were together again, the entire kingdom changed. The king spent more time with his son and his queen. He allowed for his riches to continue to grow plentiful but made it a mission to give back to the towns he reigned over. He became known as a great king, loved and adored by many rather than a ruthless one. He went to great lengths to assure his only son was never bitten by the Golden Bug. He didn’t want him to suffer through the same fate. He wanted more for his son, but not in the financial aspect. He wanted the prince to be a better man than he was. He wanted him to keep his eyes on making the kingdom better for all rather than getting wrapped up in keeping it better for just himself. He didn’t want greed or alcohol to lead him astray.”

  I swallow the forming knot in my throat.

  Lauren gives me a soft smile. “Do you understand the moral of the story, Wes?”

  “To understand no one’s perfect, and we all make mistakes?” Giving my face a brief scrub, I add, “To understand a real father goes to extreme lengths to protect his son from the pain whether it’s physical or psychological.”

  An all-knowing hum comes from her, “Or perhaps it’s just telling you to be satisfied with having the answers you already do because greed can destroy your life.”

  Her retort causes me to question, “Is that what happened between my parents or did you just make all that shit up?”

  Lauren smirks as she stands. “I thought you knew what a parable was.”

  “Made up.”

  “Yes, but even made up stories often pull from some sort of
truth.” I start to ask more questions when she suggests, “Take the lesson of spending more time with your future wife and child, Wes. Let go of the past before it once again wrecks your future.”

  She gives me a wink before exiting the way she came.

  With my mind whirling around the story she just told, I shut my eyes for a moment, hoping to gain some perspective.

  Was any of it true? Was all of it? Lauren wasn’t around, but Clark was. Did he tell her this story as a way to give her answers without breaking clauses? What lesson is Lauren expecting me to grab from it? Don’t be a money hungry bastard? Because she’s right, if that story is based on my father, he did push me to focus on giving as much as getting. Hm. Maybe the lesson is about making family a priority above all else….

  The thought propels me to my feet and down the hall to our bedroom. I stroll in immediately seeing Brynley curled on her side completely engulfed in the ocean documentary she’s watching on the flat screen. Her hair is draped around her face. Her curvy naked body barely hidden by the black sheet. Her blue eyes are dancing with so much excitement I almost feel guilty for interrupting.

  “Want some company?”

  She shoots me a playful expression. “Depends. Are you gonna cry like a bitch the way J.T. does when a baby animal gets eaten?”

  Her question causes me to cringe. “We talkin’ baby fish or baby squid or-”

  “Penguins.”

  “What kinda Nightmare on Ocean Street shit are you watching?”

  Brynley lightly laughs. “It’s about leopard seals. They’re fucking ruthless. Did you know not only do they eat penguins, sometimes they’ll toy with them, just for fun, like a mind fuck situation type of thing? Kind of like that scene in Happy Feet, but way fucking worse.”

  Her vast knowledge of the ocean fills me with warmth and admiration. I have no doubt “Little Thing” will follow in her footsteps.

  The idea pushes me to announce, “We’re not naming Little Thing after anything aquatic or ocean related.”

  She purses her lips together into a pout.

  “Or anything related to Aquaman or Aquawoman or any of their Aqua children.”

  Her eyes harshly roll but the hint of a smile lets me know it’s all in good fun. “Come on, Bruce. I don’t wanna miss anything else.”

  Quickly, I discard everything but my boxers and climb in beside her. She rearranges herself to rest her body against mine yet leaves me room to touch her stomach. I take the opening and lightly stroke the swelling area. Her attention diverts back to the creatures swimming around on television while I let mine wander elsewhere.

  Maybe the story didn’t have a direct lesson. Maybe it was Lauren’s gentle reminder to never take my own queen or what she gives to me for granted. Maybe she wanted to suggest that I keep proving I’m the man her daughter deserves regardless if we are in private or public. Our relationship will always continue to grow and face new challenges, but never again will I let the public dictate how a Wilcox treats his family. My father ultimately did what he thought was best to protect the ones he loved and those are the footsteps I’ll be following.

  Did you enjoy reading this story?

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  Want to hear some good news?

  Turn to the next page!

  Are you ready for the final book in the Private Trilogy?

  Personal (Private Series #3) will be coming sooner than you expect in 2018.

  Prepare yourself for their greatest challenge yet….

  Interested in Trenton’s nephew, Kellan Kenningston?

  Check out the COMPLETE Duched Series today!

  Duched (Duched #1)

  Brie Sanders' entire life is on the brink of change. Her college graduation is just a few months away, she has no idea what to do with her life when the degree is in her hands, and is most likely going to be kicked out of her apartment when her best friend's boyfriend moves in.

  Enter One Nightstand King, Kellan Kenningston, who also happens to be a real-life prince as well as a duke.

  From the first blinding white smile, Kellan becomes a royal pain in the butt who keeps her laughing and Brie becomes the breath of fresh air he desperately needs.

  Unfortunately, for both of them, this isn't a fairy tale with an immediate happily ever after. The media is a monster that can barely be tamed. Balls are not beautiful and bright. And more often than not, true evil is found in surprising forms.

  Thank Yous!

  I don’t want to forget anyone or have someone feel they went unappreciated, so let me deliver this beautiful statement to every reader, every author, every blogger, street teamer, PA, family member and stranger who has offered me support. Thank you! You make the days I walk around the house talking to myself like a crazy person absolutely worth it. Thank you for giving me a dream I can have in private and in public.

  Until next time….

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