by Alice Ward
My lip wrinkled up as I considered how to answer that.
“Never mind. The look on your face says it all, Worth,” he observed and drew again on the cigar. “Look, the old man’s contacts are gone, just like him. My advice to you is to stay out of reach. Don’t make yourself a target. They’ll self-destruct eventually. They always do. Greed and power eat them alive.”
I nodded. “That’s some pretty sound advice, my friend. Just not sure how long I can hold out.”
“As long as it takes. As long as it fuckin’ takes,” he said, emptied his drink and patted me on the back as he left.
***
I was glad I talked with Earl. It had helped to put things into perspective. I was so busy scaring the shit out of myself, I didn’t take into consideration that nothing had or might ever happen. My life was just as calm and nourishing as it had been the day before Linc LaViere rose from his grave.
I’d just opened a clinic in Cincinnati after choosing a little different venue for this one — inside a chic department store downtown. My market research told me that my clients were primarily female, over thirty and had a sustained income in the six figures. This matched the demographics for the department store and its six-story location in the center of town.
I signed a lease and was putting a staff in place. This would be a bit more luxurious than my previous clinics. I was including a salon for beauty make-overs, realizing that if a woman felt beautiful, she felt healthier. The department store had their shopping assistants and would bring hand-picked clothing selections into the clinic. The idea was that a woman could walk in the door in the morning, looking tired, aging and dull and walk out an entirely new person. We were gaining some traction with some of the local news outlets and even a few shows were booking time with us for their on-camera staff and guests. I was working my way north and eventually east.
Auggie was on board for the expansion but she had no desire to leave grass behind for concrete. She was willing to help me however she could, as long as I stuck to our deal and went strictly by the book. I was guilty of a bit of manipulation regarding my clients purely out of boredom and rebellion against my father. How ironic that although he’d put a bullet through his head one night, he was still in control of my life. I couldn’t seem to rid myself of his cruel influence.
For the time being, however, I was content to leave Auggie at home with Ford to supervise the additional building plans underway. We had hired an architect, Beverly Dexter, to build additional outbuildings for Auggie’s horses and an eventual grandstand and Steeplechase track. This was Auggie’s love and her horse, Carlos, and she had participated regularly. She was anxious to return to the track and it made me happy to give her these opportunities.
Auggie had a pet project in the Sunset Village retirement home, having taken an interest in one particular resident and then championing the initiation of a foundation to expand and maintain the home. I was very proud of her accomplishment. The last I’d heard, Sunset Village had become quite the desirable place to retire.
Prior to building our home, we bought a large condo not far from the first clinic. After Father’s death, Mother moved into it and took it over as we moved into the main house. I looked in on her from time to time, but she was enjoying living in town and re-entering her social scene. She had been denied friends while my father was living; he controlled every life within reach.
Although I was exhausted from the day, I decided to drop in on Mother and see how she was faring. She never asked anything from Auggie or me, so it was up to us to initiate the visits. She adored it when we brought Ford along, his being her only grandchild.
I pulled into the condo development and parked outside her entrance. As I neared her door, I heard voices inside and hesitated to knock. If she was entertaining, I didn’t want to intrude. I turned around and got back into my Escalade. I was backing out when her door opened and a man walked out, glancing in my direction.
Son of a bitch. It was Linc!
Running for Mother’s condo, I found the door still unlocked and I didn’t hesitate to enter. With my heart in my throat, I found her seated in a club chair looking out the patio doors, her back to me. “Mother!”
Calmly looking in my direction, she said, “Worth, how nice to see you, dear.” Tears gleamed in her eyes.
“What did he want?” I didn’t bother with formalities, assuming she already knew who he was.
“Do you know who that was, Worth?” she asked, her voice filled with sorrow.
“Yes, Mother, he calls himself Linc LaViere. Did he hurt you?” I was looking her over from head to foot but as far as I could tell, she was physically unruffled. Every silvery hair was in place, as usual, and she was tastefully dressed in a jacket dress. It was the faraway look in her eyes that was troubling.
“Yes, Worth, Linc came back,” she said.
“Mother…” I shook my head, trying to clear the confusion. “Mother, you didn’t understand. That wasn’t Linc. Not our Linc. It’s a long and sordid story. Did he threaten you?”
Her hand moved to her throat as her eyes widened. “Threaten me? No, why would he? He just asked my help is all.”
“Mother? Did you give him money?” My temples throbbed as my blood pressure rose. Anger churned in my stomach.
“No, dear. He didn’t want money. He just wanted a place to live.” She smiled and wiped away the tears.
“What did you tell him?” I asked, hoping I wouldn’t hear what I feared.
“Why, what could I tell him? He belongs on his family’s land, of course.” She was wide-eyed that this hadn’t occurred to me already.
“Mother? Mother? What did you do?” I lamented, knowing what was to come.
“Why, I gave him title to the farm, of course! You don’t want it, Worth. Especially with all that’s gone on there. You and Auggie are all set. I have all I need here. He’s your blood. Why shouldn’t he have the farm? Your father left it to me and now I’m giving it to his son.”
I leaned against the wall, needing the support it offered as her news sank in. My enemy had threatened and found the weakness in my defense. He could now abide within its confines — not only with permission but the aid of those I was fighting hardest to protect.
CHAPTER FIVE
Auggie
“You have got to be kidding,” I exclaimed, just as Worth had probably expected. “Why would she do that? Is she losing her mind? Seriously, Worth?”
I was cuddling Ford against my chest but suddenly felt contaminated by the words I’d just heard. I put him down in his carrier to keep him clear of this sordid news.
“I have no idea what she was thinking, Auggie. I think he’s just damned good at conning people and she’s an easy mark,” Worth speculated, throwing a pillow across the room in anger.
“Worth, whatever he is, don’t let him get to you. I can tell it’s eating at you but so far, has he really done anything to us?” I didn’t want Worth to lose perspective on this whole thing.
“Am I hearing my own wife correctly?” He had a look of astonishment atop the anger of his expression.
“I’m only saying this. The farm belonged to your mother to do with as she wished. You gave it to her, remember? I know I don’t want to live there and I doubt there’s many people in the county who do, given the history in that study.” I was trying to be sensible.
“He’s an interloper, Auggie!” Worth was beyond reasoning with.
“Worth, listen to yourself! He truly is your brother. You share blood with him. You might not care for his manner, or for the fact that he threatened you, but has he really done anything to harm us on his own? Isn’t this all part of the crappy legacy your father left you? Why not let him have the farm? Good riddance! Go on with your work and let our family go back to the way it was. Don’t let him ruin our lives,” I pleaded with him to see the logic of my words.
“That’s precisely the point, Auggie. This is my family and I will protect it.” Worth could not let go.
I faced my husband and said in an even, clear voice, “He is not going to control me, Worth. I won’t allow it. He’s my brother too, remember?”
He uttered a cursed breath and pushed through the French doors to stand on the patio. I couldn’t stand to see him so upset, but I knew I didn’t want to be trapped by what Linc LaViere wanted to dish out. He was nothing to me if I didn’t allow it. He was bad blood and I knew plenty of families who had to deal with such things. It was the timing of all this that had us shaken. These were all logical thoughts I was telling myself, but I knew deep down that I was every bit as worried as Worth. This one time, however, I had to be the strong one and protect him by not letting him see my fear. He was dealing with too many emotions to stay in control. I knew he would blow up at some point and that would not only be the worst thing that could happen, it would give Linc LaViere exactly what he wanted.
I gave Ford to Betsy to put to sleep for the night and decided to finish cooking dinner to return some normalcy to the household. I will deal with this by example, I told myself. I opened the oven to spoon some au jus over the roast and checked the boiling potatoes. The raspberry crisp was still warm to the touch and I covered it with a clean dish towel to keep in the heat until it was time for dessert. We were going to eat in the kitchen tonight. It was the cheeriest room and had a breakfast nook with windows that faced to the west. I loved to watch thunderstorms come in and this time of year, they were very active. I could see a bank of black coming in as I cooked and it actually lightened my mood.
I put some broccoli on to steam and mashed the potatoes, putting the bowl into the plate warmer until we were ready. I’d baked some yeast dinner rolls earlier and set these out with butter and grape jam, Worth’s favorite. I went out to the patio briefly and came up behind Worth, putting my arms around him. “I love you, Worth LaViere, and don’t you ever forget that. You, Ford and I are our own family and no one can break these ranks, no matter how hard they try. Remember that. Now, come in, I’ve been cooking all day and I want to feed you.”
I could feel his shoulders relax and he took one of my hands in his as he spun around. “I know what I want to eat.” He smiled gently, and my heart leapt as I realized he’d come to terms with the trouble and we would be okay now.
I winked and laughed. “I’m saving that for dessert!”
***
After finishing our coffee and raspberry crisp, I left the kitchen to Betsy to clean up. I went upstairs and pulled a new, midnight blue silk negligee from the closet and headed to the shower. In the distance, thunder snapped like cracked boulders rolling downhill. Using my favorite body wash, I smoothed it over my skin with long seductive strokes. I finished bathing and took the time to make sure my hair was full and dry. As I came into the bedroom, Worth was there. He was reclining on the bed, completely naked, one leg bent at the knee as he absorbed my entrance. His dick was already rigid with anticipation, and although we’d just eaten, a different sort of hunger spread through me. Behind him, the windows were shallowly opened. He knew how I loved the sound of storms.
In a flash of lightning, I saw my reflection in the mirror of my vanity. I looked like a Valkyrie, who had ridden the bolt into the room. The translucent blue fabric blew around my nakedness in the rolling currents coming from the windows. My hair lofted around my face and I could see in Worth’s eyes that he was spellbound by the image before him. I lifted the bulk of my hair with one hand, letting it rain down upon my back and with the other, I lightly massaged the blue silk against my pussy in a slowly seductive invitation.
I inched my foot outward so that I was straddling an imaginary breadth and continued to caress myself. Worth lay transfixed and a strong gust of wind blew into the room, lifting the gown high upon my thighs. From his vantage, Worth glimpsed my bare pussy for a long second until the fabric settled again to swirl around my spread ankles. He groaned and his hand began slowly stroking himself, matching my own rhythm.
The next gust whipped around me, lifting the fabric again. This time, I caught it and leaning backward, let it continue to slide over my head, exposing my pussy to his hungry eyes without restriction. I straightened and slowly approached the bed, my eyes locked onto his rigid staff. I crept across the mattress, my lips parting as I came closer to him. He reached for my hair, pulling it back so he could watch my mouth slide down over his length.
A raw sound of relief came from his throat as my hands and mouth took up the stroking he could now abandon. He pressed himself hard into the mattress as I crept between his thighs, my full breasts nesting his balls. Worth’s hands were gently flailing, trying to reach me to bring further contact, but I stayed tantalizingly out of reach. As my lips sucked him deep into my throat, I began a very low, soft and repetitious chant, rising in pitch the faster I worked him. His head was thrown back, the strong cords of muscle in his throat exposed as he panted with the excruciatingly erotic abandonment I forced upon him. I laid claim to the core of the man who was mine.
His breathing quickened and his hands reached for me. I slid over his clenched stomach and let him pull me upward. He pushed my thighs apart and pulled me down to sit upon his pulsing manhood. He drove upward in a relentless movement to exorcise any awareness other than his need and my warm, moist cave clenching to hold him within. I felt the rising and slammed down upon him harder, my hands twisting my hair high in a dance of exultation. I screamed when I came and the sound seemed to echo from him as well.
The mist of rain bouncing off the windowsill cooled our flesh and hardened my nipples. Worth rolled off the bed long enough to close the window and then returned with a gentle lunge, my nipples softly bathed by his tongue. He pulled me against him then, a tangle of damp hair and soft, appeased womanhood. Worth’s grasp was possessive and determined. Even though I could barely draw a breath, I laid limply upon him, tears of passionate completion wetting my cheeks. He stroked my hair and held me tight until finally he dropped off to sleep. I continued to lay there a very long time, listening to the storm — the one retreating outside the window matched to that of his heart.
***
Worth had already left for work when I awakened the next morning. I heard Betsy softly talking to Ford and knew she was feeding him the milk I’d pumped for him the night before. I found a note on Worth’s pillow.
Auggie, you will always be my magical witch.
I love you, Worth
I half-smiled to myself and then groaned a bit as I rose from the bed and headed to the shower. I was a bit sore and resolved that it was time I resumed regular exercise.
After cuddling Ford for a while and downing a cup of coffee, I made my way to my office. This was a special retreat for me; a place where I ruled and restored my senses. I’d decorated it in the shades of a peacock; deep to aqua blues mixed with grass greens and dotted with patches of black. The furniture was Queen Anne and my desk chair was richly upholstered and yet it swiveled. I flipped on some soothing nature music and dove into the pile of papers I’d let accumulate in my basket.
Although Beverly did an excellent job managing the construction of the estate, much still required my approval. She and I butted heads at the onset but had now learned to respect one another’s territories and that allowed the project to flow more smoothly.
There were new barns under construction, including one that was designed for healing and coddling of stressed horses. It contained a swimming pool with a gradated ramp for entry. Swimming was an excellent exercise for stressed legs, as well as nerves. It was to eventually become a commercial concern and I would board horses for the equestrian industry of our region.
The interior stalls were paneled and the animals restrained by velvet ropes with brass fittings. Paintings hung upon the walls and there were wingback chairs where owners and trainers could rest and sip a coffee or discuss the business of the day.
The next building was to be a show barn where sales could ultimately be conducted. It was ringed by plush theatre seating and a state-of-the-art speaker sys
tem so the announcer’s voice could remain calm and matter of fact in this event of expensive horse flesh.
Next to the swim building was a modest house where our veterinarian would live. His job would be to oversee the health and breeding of the horses. These were expensive animals and all breeding was done with artificial insemination, eliminating the risk of a mare’s back being broken by the weight of the stud.
Eventually, I would build a Steeplechase track. I was saving my favorite for last. All this construction was convenient and yet far enough away on the property to protect our privacy. In fact, our home was bounded by a high wrought-iron fence with gates that required the matching remote or the keypad numeric combination.
Although there was an enormous amount of detail to be seen to, Beverly and I had it under control. I was looking forward to getting it done so I could begin helping Worth with his clinics.
I was doing my best to maintain concentration on the estate and the business at hand. I knew Ford was safely in the hands of Betsy but began to consider taking on an assistant. Perhaps having someone to act in my absence, but who knew the business would become more and more necessary as all our businesses grew.
To that end, I phoned an agency in town with an excellent reputation and put forth my need. They assured me they would be in touch shortly with some possible candidates that I might interview.
I felt rather satisfied with myself and went to find Ford. He had just gone down for his nap and I crept to the twin bed in the nursery and took one for myself.
Worth
Finding a competent psychologist was my primary concern with the Cincinnati clinic. That person had to share my vision and yet be innovative enough to resolve on-the-spot issues and provide me with constant feedback.
I’d spent an afternoon interviewing when a woman walked through the door who squelched her competition upon first glance. Her name was Dr. Jessie Klinger and she dripped with good taste and breeding. She was east coast educated and that always seemed to carry considerable influence among my patients. Not only did she not already know their family — an added asset when you wanted to hide something — but she provided a role model for the type of women my demographics included.