Blackmailed (Their Sins #1.5)

by A. Gorman

  Tilly updated me that she is getting along with Pearse and that everything is falling into place. She thinks the plan is actually working better than she thought it would. If all goes as she is thinking it will, she will not only get the ring on her finger, but the multi-billion dollar company as well.

  She was blabbing about how Jesse’s pregnancy helped her more than she thought it would. With everything that happened, as it stands, Jesse is out of the company. She will not replace her father as CEO. Great. Now I feel like a bigger ass than I already do.

  This plan is driving me into a darker pit, further away from the happiness I used to feel. I pick up the phone and start to call my mother, but instead, I call the airline and book two tickets to Florida. I need to get out of here for a while, and I’m sure Jesse could use some sun and sand.

  Maybe a trip to find my way back to Jesse is exactly what I need. No booty calls or Tilly to distract me. Just Jesse and her sexy body on a beach sounds very appealing to my exhausted mind.

  By the time Jesse gets home from work, I’ve already packed our bags. I’m ready to go to South Beach. She is pleasantly surprised about our last minute trip. I load everything in the ‘vette and head for the airport.

  We arrive in Florida late at night and order room service when we check in to The Villa Miami Beach. It’s a lot nicer than I thought it would be. Jesse is laying on the bed. She looks like she has something on her mind.

  “Something up, babe?” I ask her, using my calmest voice.

  “Just thinking about little things I’ve noticed. I appreciate all you do, don’t get me wrong. I love that you thought of this getaway. I really think we needed a trip, but I’ve noticed some things and I want to make sure everything is okay with you, with us.” She sighs as she sits up, draws her legs up, and wraps her arms around her legs.

  “Yes, I’m good. We’re great. What are you questioning?”

  “I thought I saw a late notice on the house payment and the gas bill. I just want to make sure I’m making enough to help out.” Shit! I was hoping she didn’t see that.

  “Yes. I spaced paying them when I was out of state for work. I called them and got them paid as soon as I got back home. We are current on everything.” I give her a reassuring smile that is nothing but fake. We are behind. “Anything else?” I give her another smile.

  She starts to talk and stops. She starts again, but it looks like she can’t figure out the words she wants to say. Then she blurts out, “I miss us having sex. Do I repulse you so much that you don’t want to have sex with me anymore?” Her eyes fill with tears. Shit. What do I say?

  “Sorry, baby. I’ve just been stressed with work and everything. This is what this weekend is about—you and me. Let me show you how turned on you make me.”

  Thank God I grabbed some Viagra from my dealer.

  I pull her arms away from her legs and stand her up. I kiss her as if my life depends on it, but it actually does. If it wasn’t for my love for her, I wouldn’t be here trying to make this right. I deepen the kiss and start removing her clothes.

  I’m going to make love to my wife this weekend. I should have been doing this all along…I hope this gets my head where it needs to be.

  Chapter

  Nineteen

  Just when I thought I was digging myself out of this dark hole, everything comes crashing back down, digging my hole even deeper. Bills keep piling up and less and less money is coming in. I think Jesse would be better off if I just fucking kill myself. We’re broke. We are losing everything, and I mean everything.

  Having no clue who I can turn to for help makes me shake in anger. I can’t tell Jesse because I will have to tell her everything, and that would ruin Tilly’s plan. I can’t let my sister down, but I’m running out of options. I decide to give the one person whose idea all of this was a call, and she better be willing to bail my ass out.

  I pick up my cell phone and dial the number of the one lifeline I have left. She answers on the third ring.

  “Hey, little brother. How’s it going?” she sings into the phone.

  “Hello, Chantelle.”

  “Oh, using the first name. Trouble in paradise? Need some money? Or is something else going on?” She laughs on the other end of the line like it’s a joke.

  “I’m done, Tilly. I’m about to take the gun I bought last week and blow my head off. I want out. I want Jesse to get away from me. She doesn’t deserve this, or me. I love her too much to stick around and have her fall into the hole you created for her. I’m starting to pull her into this hole. You need to get me out before she falls into it with me.”

  “Her being in the hole is the plan. If she is stuck in it, she won’t get out, and I can get my hands on McCoy Investments. I’ve been talking to people. I will be one rich woman once I get the other ring on my finger. I will sell McCoy’s company and dump him too, and he won’t be able to stop me.” She pauses for a moment and starts talking again. “I’ll bail your ass out only if you cut ties with Jesse, but remember I still know your secrets. What time does the whore get off work?”

  “She won’t be home for another four hours.” I release the breath I shouldn’t be holding.

  “Give me thirty minutes. Start packing up all your belongings and the expensive items. You’ll need them. I’ll make sure she has nothing. I’ll get you everything you need.” Before I can reply, she hangs up.

  Leaving Jesse like this isn’t what I want to do, but it’s come to this. I owe too many people money, but Tilly is bailing my ass out. Is all of this worth leaving Jesse? Yes, maybe she can get the life and relationship she deserves. Plus, this will get me right with my sister. Tilly told me before that she never wanted me to be in Jesse’s life and that Jesse is the one that ruined my life, not myself or coke.

  If it wasn’t for being with Jesse, I wouldn’t be in all this debit, and I would be living on my own without all this drama. But Tilly is making everything right now, or at least I hope she can.

  Forty-five minutes later, a moving company is here with a semi-truck and trailer and they are packing the house up. An hour later, Tilly’s friend, who is a lawyer, has papers for me to sign—divorce papers. All the money in our accounts has been removed and is now in my hands. Tilly is my lifesaver. She has the plan all laid out for me to get out of this marriage.

  I’m holding a key to my new apartment, which is thirty minutes away from this house. Three hours after my call to Tilly, the house I used to share with Jesse, the house that I thought would be filled with our children, only holds Jesse’s belongings. I leave the petition for divorce along with the foreclosure notice I’ve been hiding, on the kitchen bar so Jesse will see both of the papers when she comes home later today.

  I shut the front door on what could have been.

  While I head to my new apartment, I call Tilly to thank her for making all these arrangements. Then I call my dealer. I need a hit, and I need to get him paid up. I think everything will be okay, and for the first time in forever, I don’t give a shit what happens.

  Chapter Twenty

  Six Months Later

  I succeeded. Mr. and Mrs. Chet Boston came to an official end today, and everything worked out as my sister said it would. I ended up owing Jesse nothing. Tilly's attorney dug up photos of Jesse hitting me as well as photos of her out with other men. It didn’t matter that the pictures were years old and taken at a Halloween party. The lawyer painted her as a controlling, psycho bitch, making it sound like my life with her was pure hell. With the entirety of our assets in her name, I’m free and clear.

  A few days before, after years of planning, Tilly was able to seal the deal and got the platinum wedding band on her finger without being connected to my family or me. Complete success for both of us.

  Now I can just forget the past. Sex and drugs are my best friends. I can go back to screwing women and partying. Speaking of that, I need to go out and find someone to make my next piece of ass.

  That’s all women are—another notch in my
bedpost or belt. I fuck women like most people change their underwear—every day, and sometimes multiple times a day.

  I’m a manwhore and I know it. Hot as hell too. Women fall at my feet all the damn time. It’s pathetic. Maybe if women would treat me like a person instead of a piece of meat, maybe my view on them would change?

  Nah, who the hell am I kidding? Women are only good for sex. Most people would think I’m an arrogant prick, but I call it as I see it. I’ll use these bitches like they use me. Yeah, that’s right. I never call anyone for a round two, so I don’t even bother taking numbers. I flip through women like a deck of cards at a poker table.

  In my moments of clarity, I remember the perfect relationship I had with Jesse. I loved her. I mean, really loved her. I wasn’t supposed to, but I couldn’t help that I gave my heart to her. She was beautiful, kind, sweet, and completely innocent. Nightmares of how I was a complete bastard to her, completely broke her, haunt me. Or maybe she completely broke me? She did. She made me a man, something I’m not now.

  I’m finished with Indiana and moving to the East Coast to one of my company’s sister offices. I still have my hands in cocaine dealings, but not as much since one of the main manufacturing sites was raided a few months ago. I am so happy to get away from Indiana and Tilly. I just snort, bang everything with two legs and a pussy, and live my life.

  Chapter

  Twenty-One

  Present Time, Aged 27

  The amount of coke I’ve been hitting makes Charlie Sheen look like a chump. Give me some of your tiger blood, buddy. I’m like Rick James, bitches. I’m getting ready to get my next hit on. As I’m prepping the perfect, white powdery goodness, my phone starts ringing—Tilly. I pick up, thinking she is going to tell me she is pregnant or something.

  “Hiya, Tilly. How is the world of richness?”

  “You sound like you’re in a good mood. I’m actually calling you from a few miles away. Want to grab a drink?”

  “Sure. Let me finish what I’m doing and I’ll meet you at the corner bar, right down the street from my apartment. Give me thirty.”

  “See you then. Bye,” she says.

  As I snort the warming powder up my nose, I wonder what’s going on with my dear, amazing sister.

  ***

  After we hug and order our drinks, there’s a few minutes of silence. Then Tilly starts talking.

  “If you don’t help me, I’ll make a few phone calls and have you arrested for coke possession and dealing. And everything back in Indiana? Well, with the help of my inside guy, I can have you tied to the place that was raided as well,” she says with an evil smirk.

  Damn, I shouldn’t have answered her phone call.

  “What’s going on now?” Like ruining Jesse’s world was my idea.

  “Your dear ex-wife is being her typical whore self. She isn’t as broken as she pretends to be. She’s been a complete bitch and has been treating me like I’m a gold digger.”

  “Umm?”

  “She doesn’t know that I am. She still needs to respect me since I’m her stepmother and all.”

  “Sounds petty, Tilly.”

  “No, not at all, dear brother. She’s working at McCoy Investments and rumor has it that Pearse is going to give her the company when she graduates in a month.”

  “Can’t you stop it or say something?”

  “No, I have nothing to do with the company. Pearse never talks to me about his business. I heard this all from my inside guy.”

  “Does this guy have a name?”

  “That’s not important. He’s loyal to me, and I trust he knows what’s going on. Jesse needs to be handled, one way or another. I want my hands on that company.”

  “Do you have a plan?”

  “I’m glad you asked because I sure do. This is what you’re going to do. First, you need to get completely off the grid…”

  She rambles through the rest of her plan, and all I can do is agree to do what she wants me to.

  I don’t want to risk the life I’ve started to build here in New York, so I take some vacation time and start the search for my ex-wife. Tilly gave me Jesse’s address. I need to find her for sure and put this part of Tilly’s plan in motion. As part of the deal, she gave me the most amazing coke I’ve ever used. I’m feeling on top of the world right now, like no one can stop me.

  ***

  I arrived in Denver last week and met the inside man. I still don’t know his name, but his inside knowledge is exactly what I need to work my magic. As part of the plan, I needed to give Tilly and the inside man pictures of Jess, the X-rated type. I can’t believe I still had some of those photos from my sexcapades with Jesse on my old phone.

  “Tilly, this is what I could come up with.”

  I show her pictures of Jesse in various stages of nudity, some I don’t even remember taking of her and Eric, a friend from IU.

  “These are exactly what I need. Can I get them from you?”

  “Here,” I hand her my phone, “keep it. I don’t need the phone or the pictures.”

  I don’t want to risk going down a Jesse memory lane and having second thoughts about going through with Tilly’s plan.

  “Thanks. I’ll make sure the phone gets destroyed,” she says with a malicious smile. “These pictures should help take Jesse down so I can get my hands on McCoy Investments.”

  “Nothing has changed between you two since New York?”

  “No, Jesse has been nothing but a spoiled bitch since I’ve been back, making my life a living hell.”

  “Well, no one screws with my sister and gets away with it. I’ll make sure you get whatever you want, since you deserve it.” I hug my sister and head off to watch Jesse.

  I thought watching Jesse would bring back some of the feelings I used to feel for her, but I’m not feeling a single feeling toward her, and this job is getting even better by the moment. Sweet little Jesse is being protected by her father’s favorite man.

  What will Jess think of Aedan when she finds out what he has done to save her father’s ass on numerous occasions? Soon she’ll find out all about Aedan Samuel Hughes. Arrogant prick. He will get what is coming to him, and then I’ll make sure Jesse pays for making my sister’s life hell.

  Mr. Hughes thinks he’s all big and bad. Obviously, this job isn’t going to be as hard as I was thinking. I will take out both Jesse and Hughes, and no one will have any reason to object putting my sister in as CEO because I’ll kill McCoy too. All the money and power will be hers. I’m sure as soon as she gets everything she wants, she’ll make sure the McCoy name means nothing.

  I hate Pearse McCoy. He made sure that I couldn’t touch him when I was draining Jesse of all of her money and assets. Who knew a little tramp like that was worth over a million back then? I wonder how much she’s worth now? Not that it matters because soon it will be bye-bye, Ms. McCoy and Mr. Hughes.

  Ha ha ha! Wait until I get to Aedan's house in a few days. No one will know…I’ll be arriving with a big bang.

  Bang, bang. They’ll all be dead.

  BEFORE YOU GO…

  DON’T MISS OUT!

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  Acknowledgements

  Y’all, why didn’t you warn me this would be the hardest part of completing a book? My normally full-of-words mind is blank. I know I’ll leave someone out, but if do I leave you out, it’s not intentional. I love you, and thank you for your support.

  First, I want to give many thanks to my husband, Adam. He is the most amazing and supportive husband a girl could ask for. He works long hours and, when deadlines are looming, he fixes dinner. I love you more than you’ll ever know.
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br />   Next, my children. They ask numerous questions they shouldn’t be asking about the birds and the bees. Extremely active minds they have.

  My parents, thank you for supporting me in everything I do, even if it’s something as crazy as writing a book. Please, Mom, don’t let Dad read this book. Give him the brief overview.

  The amazing beta readers: Casey Bond, Delisa Lynn, Victoria Escobar, Jamie Rivera, Carolina Arteaga, and Marivett Villafane…Thank you.

  Casey Bond and Delisa Lynn, y’all are like my little cheering squad. Thank you so much for your support! I love you both!

  Sprint or DIE Sprinters, thank you so much for all the hours we spent sprinting. You are my rocks in the writing world. I’m honored to write with you.

  My Book Whores: Chris, Caro, Donna, Kelli, and Mari. Thank you for your support.

  Lastly, the readers. Holy moly. Thank you so much. Without you, I would not exist as an author.

  If I left you out, I love you too!

  About the Author

  A. Gorman was born and raised in a small community in Central Indiana. She left the slow-moving life of the country for the fast-paced city life. After spending twelve years in the city and becoming a mother to two wild and crazy kids, she chose to move back to the peace and quiet of the country after marrying the man of her dreams and gaining three more children.

  As an avid reader, A. never set out to be an author since she’s a full-time editor for several incredible authors. However, after editing one day, a voice started talking to her and talking and talking. She decided to sit down and write what she had to say, and it turned out she had a lot to say. Then that one voice turned to two, and another story came to life. Not believing that anything she was writing was publishable, she asked a few friends to critique her manuscript…and now she’s the proud author of the Their Sins series, with several more series and standalones planned.