Accidentally Wild: An Accidental Marriage Romance (The Wilder Brothers Book 2)

by Nicole Elliot

  “How much are you thinking the ten percent is worth?” my father asked.

  “In the beginning, the two of you tossed us five hundred thousand for it. But, the business has done very well since then. Wisteria Lake Designs easily grosses fifteen million a year, so we feel a fair price for the ten percent is one and a half million,” Flynn said.

  “That’s on the nose,” my mother said.

  “An accurate valuation,” my father said.

  “Your father and I will consider it on one condition.”

  “We will?” my father asked.

  “Name it, Mom,” I said.

  “You wait to buy us out until after this issue with the mansion has been resolved. If you need our influence, presence, or money in any aspect of this, I want to be able to help out as part of the company,” she said.

  “They just said they didn’t—”

  “Kane. I love you, but no one has yet addressed that there’s a possibility this could be foul play. That someone could have intentionally burned that place down because of our boys. I want to be able to help as a part of the firm if that’s the case,” my mother said. My parents locked eyes with one another before my father nodded.

  “Do you boys have any idea who might have burned down a place like that if it is arson?” he asked.

  “Honestly? We think it was just some kids screwing around,” Lucas said.

  “We did throw a party there a week or so ago. Maybe something got tripped in the process or a door got left open for a kid to slide into,” I said.

  “You boys really need to cool it with those parties,” my mother said.

  “We’ve found a couple of people over the years in the homes we purchase looking for ghosts. Some of them are vandalizing the properties. One time, Lucas found someone inside at eleven o’clock at night shooting themselves up,” I said.

  “What?” my father asked.

  “Yeah. Lit candle and everything. There are a million different possibilities if it’s arson. The good thing is most of that is covered by the insurance the company personally has,” Lucas said.

  “What isn’t covered by the insurance?” my mother asked.

  As Lucas continued to rattle off his conversation with Mom and Dad, I sat back in my chair. I knew the brothers were sold on the idea that maybe someone had snuck in and done something stupid, but I wasn’t so sure about that. I mean, the firemen did say those walls were burning down quickly. Even with the amount of flames and how hot they were burning. That didn’t seem like some crackhead with a candle to me.

  Either way, it seemed as if we had Mom and Dad on board with our eventual plans. But we had to jump this hurdle first. I couldn't blame them, though. They were parents first, and their sons were in trouble. I got wanting to hang on until it was all settled, but the fact that Flynn had come prepared with those numbers really helped us to seal the deal. That and the other brothers keeping their mouths shut.

  “Everett?”

  “Yeah, Mom?”

  “You okay over there?” she asked.

  “I am. Food’s settling in and I’m getting tired,” I said.

  “It’s good food,” my father said.

  “Thanks. I appreciate it. Excuse me, you guys. I’ll be right back.”

  I pushed myself away from the table and made my way into the other room. I was tired, but I was more curious than anything. I had some colleagues of mine that could help me in this arena. They could help me establish a few more facts about this mansion fire we were dealing with. People I could call and whose brains I could pick.

  And I was going to get some answers from them before the next week passed.

  FOUR

  Everett

  “Colton Braxton, it’s been a while,” I said.

  “Come here, you behemoth,” he said.

  I clapped my long-time friend on the back before he ushered me into a seat in the corner of his den. He pulled out a crystal container of Scotch and poured me a couple of fingers, and I took it in stride. I didn’t like drinking on the job or during conversations like the one we were about to have, but refusing Colton’s drink was like slapping him across the face. And that I didn’t want to do. The topic of conversation was too serious for that.

  “I have to admit, I was shocked when you called and said you wanted to talk personally,” Colton said.

  “Can’t a guy come see his friend?” I asked.

  “You and I both know the in-person stops we make with one another are rarely personal.”

  “Then you know I’ve come to pick your brain.”

  “I figured you’d be asking for a favor, but picking my brain is fine. What’s on yours?”

  “You know that mansion that burned down on the outskirts of town?” I asked.

  “Who doesn’t know about that fire?”

  “I want to know what you know about that fire,” I said. I took a sip of my drink as Colton’s eyes held mine heavily.

  “I know that the thing practically burned to the ground within an hour. The rumor is that it was electrical and started in the walls.”

  “All around the house? It did burn pretty evenly to the ground,” I said.

  “It did. These all sound like questions for the fire marshal, though. I’m a real estate investor, Everett. Yes. You’re going to have to say it.”

  “Part of the fire marshal’s diagnosis of the fire is suspected foul play.”

  “That is not a rumor I’ve heard.”

  “It’s not a rumor. I just got done speaking with the fire marshal.”

  “And…?”

  “And that’s all you’ll get.”

  “So, the fire marshal hasn’t confirmed foul play,” he said.

  “The mere fact that I can’t get you to give me an answer makes me wonder if you're somehow involved in all this.”

  “Involved in burning down some old mansion in Charleston? Are you kidding? You know you and your family practically own the historical society. Real estate investors like myself can’t touch it without paying a pretty penny or butting heads with your father or Cash and Drew, for that matter.”

  “Then tell me what I want to know. If this was foul play, what have you heard? You’re connected, Colton. I know you know something,” I said.

  “Look, this isn’t the first fire I’ve heard of. Properties burn down all the time. I had two of mine go up in smoke just last year because of the wildfires in California.”

  “We aren’t in California, Colton. We’re in South Carolina.”

  “You aren’t listening to what I’m saying.”

  “I’m listening just fine.”

  “This isn’t the first fire I’ve heard of.”

  I drew in a deep breath before I began looking around his room. My eyes made their way back to him and he cleared his throat before he crossed his leg. Colton Braxton dealt in what I called the “gray storm,” the area between sound real estate investment and conniving ones. He toed that line between good and evil when it came to how he made his money, which was why my parents never let him invest in any of their properties. Or ours, for that matter.

  “What other fires have you heard of?” I asked.

  “There was one on the North Carolina-South Carolina border a few months ago. A couple already down in South Myrtle. Seems like fires are taking over these days with the South Carolina drought this year,” he said.

  “The drought.”

  “Yep. The drought.”

  “What started all these fires?” I asked.

  “Good question. The one on the border was an electric fireplace gone wrong. The two in South Myrtle went up in smoke after a powerline frayed and fell on top of the two houses.”

  “Electrical problems.”

  “Yep.”

  “All of them.”

  “Uh huh.”

  “And you know this…?”

  “Because my specialty is areas that could be up and coming. South Myrtle is growing at an exponential rate and the small town at the border was just disc
overed to have a nice stock of natural gold in the dirt and water that runs underneath the town.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Oh yeah. It’s been kept hush-hush for a while, especially after all of the electrical issues. Because as you know, it takes a lot of money to correct electrical issues.”

  “And even more money to correct the houses burned down due to them,” I said.

  “A lot of money upfront.”

  “Company-ruining money if enough of them go up in smoke.”

  Colton took a sip of his drink before he reached over and set it onto the coffee table beside us.

  “Want to know what I did with my week?” he asked.

  “Sure,” I said.

  “I took a fun little trip to New York City. Only the third time I’ve ever been despite the properties I invest in around the area. Went to check up on some things and I met a charming man who’s also looking to invest in the area.”

  “Sounds like you made a new friend.”

  “I did. He runs a newer company that’s been established in upstate New York. We got to talking for a little bit. Found our interests crossed.”

  “They crossed.”

  “Yep. They crossed, Everett.”

  He cocked his hip and slid his wallet from his pocket. He opened his billfold and drew out a business card, then handed it over to me. I flipped it over and looked around on it, but all I saw was a pretty plain name with a telephone number on it. No address to the business. No name for the business. It looked more like a personal card than a business one.

  “He’s been looking into investing in the South Carolina area. Wanted to pick my brain about some things he’d heard. The big players in the area,” Colton said.

  “So, the city wants to come to us,” I said.

  “Seems like it does. He was very interested in knowing a little more about the Wilder family. Maybe you should give him a call or look him up.”

  My eyes connected with Colton’s before he stood from his seat. “I’m glad you enjoyed your time in New York City,” I said.

  “There’s a reason I stopped investing there. Too much property to invest in for too little payback. They’re reaching their ballooning peak soon. The market will burst eventually, and a lot of people will be out a lot of money. Some people know that, others don’t. This man right here gave me a very nice lecture on it. Even went so far as to say it’s why he’s branching out into the poorer states of our country.”

  I nodded before I slipped the card into my back pocket. “I appreciate your time today, Colton.”

  “Take it easy, Everett. And you know my door is always open to you.”

  I shook his hand before he squeezed it, then I made my way for the elevator of his penthouse. I didn’t like that conversation one bit. Colton was always in the process of covering his own ass, but he gave me more than enough information to warrant a conversation with Lucas. None of that shit sounded good and a lot of things seemed to line up. What I was curious about was who this man was and whether or not he had some sort of stake in the land that housed the properties that had already gone up in flames. And something told me he did.

  I didn’t have a lot of details to go on, but it was enough to begin my search. I made my way to my car and slid in, feeling my phone vibrate against my hip. It was a text message from Colton, and I quickly opened it up to see what he wanted.

  Good to see you. Keep in touch. Stay fluid, but give me a few days heads-up next time you want to talk. Staying current is key to our game.

  Whatever was going on, it was making Colton nervous. I’d never known him to be so secretive and cryptic with his messages, but I got the gist of it. He wanted me to keep him in the loop so he could keep me in the loop. This had to mean this situation was something he was still exploring. How hard had he gotten hit with all this? It made me wonder what kind of investments Colton had made and who he had shaken hands with. But this text message solidified my need to speak with Lucas. And I needed to do it soon.

  Uneasiness poured through my veins as I pulled away from Colton’s place. I wove through town, my mind on autopilot as I made my way to the town city limits. I raced the main drag out of Charleston and took my first left, then wound up the driveway to the mansion that had burned down a week ago.

  I parked my car and got out, surveying the scene in front of me. Even with the firefighters coming by daily to spray the damn thing with water, there were still small wisps of smoke that trailed up to the sky. The garden had burned. The grass had burned. The house had definitely burned. Even the guest quarters out back had burned. Everything on the property had gone up in flames, licking across the acres of land and destroying all of the surroundings buildings and foliage. To me, it was foul play. No regular house fire—no matter how big the building—wreaked that type of havoc.

  I drew in a deep breath and walked the rest of the way up to what would have been the front door. The smell of sulfur and ash still lingered thickly in the air. I could still feel the heat of the flames on my skin and see them barreling toward the sky. I could still feel that sinking feeling as I slammed into my car and raced toward the flames. I knew the second I saw them from my townhouse that I had been in trouble. That we had all been in trouble.

  I opened my eyes and took in the charred wooden door in front of me. I pushed through it and stepped into the carcass of the home. Heat still radiated from the walls as I walked through a place I probably had no business being in. The carpet was singed, and the plants had been destroyed. The artwork on the walls were nothing but crumbling ashes of their former beauty. The staircases were nonexistent, and the massive chandelier was crushed and mangled in the middle of the massive foyer floor. I stepped around it and made my way into the center of the building.

  Soot wafted around my head and wisps of smoke reached out for my limbs. Spoons and crushed dishes laid in tatters at my feet as I walked along the charred foundation of the home. I craned my neck around and saw the vibrancy of the party; the dancing people and the D.J. with his head bobbing up and down. Waiters and waitresses walking around with drink and food trays and people piling themselves into rooms to indulge their one-night stands with people whose names they wouldn’t remember by morning.

  Such happiness existed in this place.

  Such life.

  I looked up toward the sky, the roof no longer there. There was only a massive hole coated with black that radiated the destruction that had taken place on this property. I shook my head as I gazed up at the sky at the sun pouring through and attempting to fill this place with light again. With life again. With love again.

  “Son of a bitch,” I murmured.

  I made my way out back and walked through the scorched remains of the garden. The rose bushes, the hedges, and all of the beautiful, ancient flowers were gone. The balcony furniture and the foundation for the hot tub and the swimming pool were gone. Even the massive trees that lined the property that had grown there since before the Civil War had been licked with flames, tainted with the taste of destruction.

  I already saw two of the trees dying, slowly crumbling over and turning brown, as if they were finally done fighting for their lives. It filled me with an unexplainable rage.

  “Can’t stay away?”

  Lucas’ voice ripped me from my trance and I whipped my head around.

  “Saw you racing down the road. Figured you were headed here,” he said.

  “What’d you do? Follow me?”

  “I’ve come here every single day since it burned down. If anything, you’re following me.”

  I shook my head and chuckled as he came to stand beside me. Out of all the brothers, I was the closest to Lucas. We were less than a year apart thanks to Dad’s ability to really drive it home with Mom when he wanted to. At least, that was the joke they always made.

  “The more I walk through here, the more I know it was intentional,” Lucas said.

  “Then the two of us should talk about the conversation I just had today with Colton
Braxton.”

  “The real estate investor?”

  “Yep.”

  “You went and saw him.”

  “Uh huh.”

  “What did he have to say?”

  I stuck my hand into my back pocket and pulled out the card.

  “What’s this?” Lucas asked as I handed it to him.

  “A name and what I feel is a personal number to a man we shouldn't contact,” I said.

  “And why do you have this?”

  My eyes panned over to my brother as he handed the card back to me.

  “I have it because Colton seems to think he’s the link between a bunch of properties that have burned down in the state over the past few months.”

  “What?” Lucas asked.

  “Colton was speaking very cryptically again. I almost couldn't understand what the fuck he was telling me.”

  “Which means he’s in over his head, too.”

  “And he believes that whatever he’s gotten himself into now involves us.”

  A telling wind kicked up around the property, rustling the trees in the distance. The leaves rustled and the wind howled, wrapping around myself and my brother. Shivers inched their way up my spine and my fists clenched involuntarily. My eyes dilated and scanned the edge of the property, almost as it my body sensed something I didn’t.

  “You feel that?” Lucas asked.

  “Uh huh.”

  “It feels like we’re being—”

  “Watched,” I said. I looked over at my brother before he nodded his head.

  “Let’s go have that conversation,” Lucas said.

  “Should we have it with all of the brothers as well?” I asked.

  The wind kicked up stronger than ever, blowing soot and charred twigs in our direction.

  “First, I want to know what you know. If it still requires a lot of research, we can make that happen before we talk to them. To be honest, I think we all could use a trip out of town.”

  “Really? You’re planning a vacation during all this?”

  “Fine. Let me rephrase that. I’ve been ignoring the fuck out of Jessica and I think she and I could use a trip out of town. Maybe we could make it a group thing, have a fun weekend, then come back and tackle all of this later.”