by Piper Stone
“I don’t know, sir. I’m just paid to deliver.” His voice held a sheepish tone.
I signed, yanked the package out of his hand after signing on the dotted line, and managed to find a ten dollar bill in my pocket. I had the door closed before the kid could make it off the front porch.
“What is that?” Dad asked, hovering in the doorway.
“We’re going to find out.” I knew instinctively that the information was from Summer in some capacity. This had to be what she meant by protecting me. After peeling away the flap and tugging out the contents, I stared at the cover page for a solid two minutes.
“Well?” my father asked impatiently.
The first page had simple text, written in red ink.
From Alexandra Summer Carter Holmes Trust
Trust? I shrank back, my hands now shaking. The girl held more secrets than I could have ever realized. “It’s from Summer.” I turned the page and seeing the letterhead from an attorney located in Dallas, the sickening feeling deepened in my stomach. Something tragic must have happened to the wonderful, amazing girl who... Hell, no. I wasn’t going down this rabbit hole.
Then I read on.
“What. The. Fuck?”
“Don’t keep me in suspense, son. Christ. What is going on?”
Pops flanked my side, peering around my shoulder. “Wait a minute. Is that what I think it is?”
I had no words, no real understanding of what Summer had done, but I knew the ramifications of her decision were huge. “Yep.”
He gripped my arm, his exhale more pronounced than mine. “Why would she do this?”
“That’s what I’m hoping the remainder of the paperwork is going to tell me.” I finally had to sit down and with every page flipped and read, I was more amazed at the strength of the young woman.
Feisty.
Opinionated.
Terrified.
Rich.
Her mother had certainly left her a legacy of her own and one that Summer had been intelligent enough to nurture, far removed from the prying eyes of her stepfather. However, given Holmes Enterprises was an open company, stock trading on the exchanges, the man knew of her potential to wield power over his company and his entire fortune.
No wonder he wanted her under his thumb.
My father read every piece of paper seconds after I did and when we were finished with the inch-thick file, we both sat silently, as if there was no way to accept or comprehend what this could mean.
“You need that attorney now,” he said quietly.
“Yeah, I do.”
“And you know who you need to call. You can trust her, no matter what you think.”
I lifted my head slowly, studying my father’s tired eyes. We’d worked so hard in attempting to save the ranch, as well as others surrounding us. This could change everything. I nodded, finally rising to my feet and grabbing my phone, chuckling upon seeing the hard cover case had kept the screen from cracking. My father had always been right about so many things. I only hoped I could manage to do this without old feelings surfacing, mostly those of hatred and anger.
The receptionist was polite, even cheerful, but I found it even more difficult to utter the words until my father poked me in the side. “Monica Jessup.”
“May I tell her who’s calling?”
I nodded, as if the girl was standing in the room. “Jack Stone.”
“Just a moment, sir.”
For now, everything was set in motion. I slumped against the counter, my thoughts drifting to Summer. Had this been her final act before her death? No. She was alive. I could feel it in my bones.
“Jack?” Monica’s pensive voice asked.
“I need your help.”
* * *
Two weeks later
Best laid plans. Yeah, I sucked at the concept all the way around. Or maybe fate had some reason to kick my ass. Either way, I was pissed at the world.
“Yo, rigger to the master.”
I heard Riley’s voice and shot him my middle finger. We sat in a rental car, having flown in only hours earlier. He’d actually insisted that he come with me and maybe he’d been right. I wasn’t certain I could do this alone.
The time Monica had taken had been above the call of duty. She’d refused payment, at least for now. I had to smile given her tenacious attitude and take no shit mantra. She’d rallied everyone she knew to make certain what I would be facing, checking over every detail. Her confirmation that what Summer had provided was real and couldn’t be challenged in a court of law had left me even more shaken.
The fact the trail regarding both Summer and her stepfather had grown completely cold forced the kind of emptiness inside that would never go away. This was Summer’s final act of beginning to derail her stepfather’s empire. I’d been given a tremendous gift as well as a huge burden. This wasn’t in my area of expertise.
At least the end of the month had arrived and there’d been no attempt at foreclosing on the ranch. The bank was also being investigated by the Feds and the FDIC. Then again, Monica had mentioned Bob had agreed to rip up the contract. The woman was tenacious in her own right.
“Did Monica give you any more details?” Riley asked after waiting patiently for a few minutes.
Shrugging, I gave him a sideways glance. “You mean other than what I’m about to face today?”
“Isn’t that enough?”
I had to smile. “More than enough.”
“She should have been with you on this trip, not me.”
“And you know I didn’t want her to be. This is something I have to do alone.”
Riley leaned over, getting in my periphery of vision. “Then why the hell am I here?”
“Other than the fact you insisted? For the booze afterwards.”
“Oh, yeah. You’re buying, rich man.”
Rich. I wasn’t certain the stock was going to mean anything after the FBI finished their full investigation, but from what Monica had learned, certain aspects of Holmes Enterprises were indeed on the up and up. The reason? Summer’s mother had come from a wealthy family and although they’d certainly shut her off after her engagement to Jonathan, the lady had already amassed a fortune, even more so than Summer must have been told. Her mother had been savvy in her business tactics, able to squirrel away portions of stock, money, and other wealth from Jonathan’s greedy hands.
And he’d tried on numerous occasions to get his hands on her fortune. Summer had disappeared not knowing just how wealthy she truly was. What I’d been given was a small tip of the iceberg, but an important one to Summer and so it had become that to me as well. “Yeah, I’m buying.”
“By the way, and I know you don’t want to hear this, but Monica really came through for you and your dad. Just my opinion.”
“She did.” There was little else to say. She’d moved on, much like I’d tried to do, but at least the anger I’d felt for so long had slipped away. We were never meant for each other.
“And?” Riley asked, shifting as far toward the passenger door as possible.
“Don’t go there. I appreciate everything she did, but we’ve been over for a long time. And you know what? I’m fine with it.”
He snorted and eased back against the seat. “I’m glad to hear you say that. Now, get the hell up to that conference room. Take what rightfully belongs to you.”
Rightfully. I had a hell of a lot of issue with the concept, but what Summer wanted to accomplish was important and not only for the ranchers of East El Paso. “I’ll be back.”
“Call me when you’re ready and I’ll come pick you up.”
We both climbed out of the car, Riley walking around the front. He held out his hand, giving me a stern look in his effort to instill confidence.
“Thanks for coming with me.” I took his hand, thankful to have such a good friend.
“Well, you needed someone to watch your back.” His grin was infectious. “I only wish Summer could see you.”
Sighing, I glanced at t
he massive glass and steel structure. “She does, at least in spirit.”
“Then do her proud, my friend.”
That I planned on doing.
The building was secure, the guards positioned at the front giving me a leery glare, but Monica had paved the way, providing me with certain ‘credentials.’ One of the burly men glanced up and down at my attire before pointing to the bank of elevators behind the desk. I nodded, shoving the papers back into my jacket pocket before taking long strides down the corridor. I certainly didn’t look the corporate part, dressed in faded blue jeans, a tee shirt that had seen better days, and the only jacket I owned. However, I wasn’t here to make a fashion statement.
I’d thought about everything I’d wanted to say for two solid days, but so far, nothing seemed adequate. Still, the shock and awe factor had to work in my favor.
I snickered at the thought as the elevator doors opened and I walked onto the top floor. The monthly board of directors meeting was by invitation only and I certainly hadn’t been invited.
Or expected.
What did they say about the element of surprise?
The moment the very young receptionist looked at the papers I held in my hand, her eyes opened wide. Even she knew that my arrival meant trouble, at least for the other stockholders within the corporation.
“All the way down the hall,” she managed after taking a deep breath.
“Thank you.” My plastered-on smile was now beginning to feel more appropriate. The reason Summer had made the life-altering decision I might never know.
But I would take full advantage of her generosity.
I didn’t enter in a sly manner. I bolted in and the shocked and angered faces bolstered my courage. A new chapter was ready to begin.
“Who the fuck are you?” a rather pompous-looking asshole asked as he jerked to his feet.
I crowded in between two board members, slapping my hands on the rather impressive-looking fake marble table. “Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Jack Stone and I’m the new majority owner of stock in Holmes Enterprises. I’m also about to become your worst nightmare.”
* * *
“How did it go?” Riley asked only after we’d settled onto a barstool at some local and very crowded hangout.
“As well as can be expected. They’d been too busy answering questions with the FBI and the state corporation commission to notice the shift in stock ownership. We’ll have to wait and see how they handle my demands.”
“Then Summer did a good thing.” His comment was more of a question.
“Summer did what she thought was right. It’ll take some time, but I will guide the board into making the right decisions. Holmes Enterprises is going to enter into some different ventures, ones protecting our great state of Texas.”
“From your mouth to God’s ears,” he said, chuckling and lifting his beer bottle.
As the new majority stock owner, I had a certain level of clout, but Jonathan remained a player, no matter what country he’d fled to. One day, the man would rear his ugly head, trying to take back control. In truth, I couldn’t wait for that day. I would bury the man. After the toast, I took a long pull, trying to calm my nerves. So many things were out of sorts.
“You know, I’ve been thinking,” Riley said casually.
“That always scares the hell out of me.”
He rolled his eyes and leaned over the table. “You said Summer was originally from Florida, right?”
“Yeah, the family she’s never really known is there. Left when she was five or so.”
“If you were going to hide out, wouldn’t you go to a location where you had the fondest memories?”
I snorted and took a gulp of my beer. “She was a child.”
“But she mentioned how happy she’d been.”
“You forget that her stepfather met her mother there. If he was hunting her down, don’t you think that’s a little obvious?”
He shrugged, his eyes twinkling. “Isn’t there something to be said for hiding in plain sight?”
I thought about what he was saying, trying to recollect any detail of what Summer had told me. Then it hit me hard. “Fuck. Me.”
“What’s wrong?”
“We need to get to the airport.”
Instead of seeming annoyed, Riley grinned. “Where to, my friend?”
“A little island off the coast of Florida.”
Chapter Thirteen
Summer
Dead. The entire world thought I was dead, which is exactly what I’d hoped.
“Hey, darlin’. How about another beer?”
I shifted my gaze, eyeing the man who’d become my best customer. “Comin’ right up, Sam.” As I walked behind the bar, I couldn’t help but drink in the incredible scent of the salt spray. The tide was just rolling in, gently on this beautiful afternoon. Even the glimmer of the sun casting a tangerine glow across the back deck gave me shivers. I loved working in a place where the doors were opened the majority of the time. One could say the ocean water, the soft sand, and the puffy white clouds were peaceful.
To me? They were a reminder of better times.
I grabbed a beer, popping the top and giving a slight smile to the manager. She’d hired me without asking too many questions, something I would forever be grateful for. “Here you go, Sam.” I slid the cold brew across the surface of the bar, winking the second he wrapped his hand around it. I certainly wasn’t going to get rich, but the tips had been consistent and decent.
“You’re much too pretty for a joint like this,” Sam said, lifting his bottle.
“And you say that to all the girls.”
“Only the pretty ones,” he countered.
I laughed before walking away and was almost to the end of the bar when a slight panic attack hit, forcing me to grab onto the edge of the bar. I gulped for air, noticing a dark-haired man sitting at the far end of the restaurant, dark sunglasses covering his eyes even inside. Same build. Same posture. No. No! There was no way the asshole had found me. He had no idea of this location. This was a special place, one where I could be safe until I figured out what, if anything, I could do.
“Summer, are you okay?”
I almost passed the comment by but heard her concern. The waitress had become a good enough friend in the last few weeks that I trusted her.
To a point.
No one would ever know my real identity. I’d changed my hair color slightly, cutting off several inches. At least all the stories in the press had died down and they’d used a stock photo from several years before. And still, I was apprehensive of everyone.
“Fine, Gina. Just...”
“You look pale, honey. You sure you’re okay?”
“Just thought I saw someone I knew.”
Gina followed my gaze, patting me on the shoulder. “Looks like Fred. He’s been coming here for years. I doubt you’d know him. A real hermit most of the time but harmless. No need to be afraid.”
Breathing out, I gave her an awkward smile, fiddling until the long strand of hair was behind my ear. “I guess I’m exhausted.” I gave the man another look, but he wasn’t paying any attention. I had to let this go.
“Hey, I’m just about ready to get off shift. Do you mind taking the dude who just sat down outside for me?”
I’d gathered my wits, shifting until I was able to see the back of the customer’s head. There was no one else on the patio, but it was early. The guy was wearing a ball cap and dressed like one of the local fishermen. Just a regular. “Sure thing. Don’t you have that big date tonight?”
“Ugh. Don’t remind me!” she chastised, biting her lower lip. “I’ve tried on eight different outfits. What if... Oh, never mind. I’m never going to find the right man.”
“Well, not with that kind of attitude!”
“Very funny. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow.”
“You better!” I sashayed around the bar, giving her a sly smile as I headed for the outdoor section. I’d taken as many doubl
es as possible, trying to get out of the fleabag motel I was in. What money I’d squirreled away wasn’t nearly enough to start a new life. The last paycheck had at least gotten me here. I patted down my shirt, barely paying attention to where I was walking. The warm air was invigorating, and I couldn’t help but inhale.
Then I stopped cold.
I’d know the scent anywhere. Trembling, I lifted my head.
“Hello, Summer.”
I was dumbfounded, shaken to my core. “How did you find me?”
“There is no place you can run that I won’t find you.” Jerking to his feet, he took long strides in my direction, sweeping me into his arms. “Baby girl. Goddamn, I’ve missed you.”
“Jack. Oh, Jack.” There was no stopping the tears as they began to fall, or my heart from racing. I’d dreamt of him every night, longing for the touch of his fingers and the scent of his very masculine cologne filling my nostrils.
After swinging me around in a circle, he slowly eased me onto my feet, cupping both sides of my face. “You’re never getting out of my sight again.”
He crushed his mouth over mine, fisting my hair as he thrust his tongue past my lips. I shivered, throwing my arms around his neck and arching my back. I was in his arms once again, the man I so adored. The kiss was full of passion, the all-consuming desire I’d felt every time I was with him taking over, forgetting about anyone or anything around us. I wiggled in his hold, grinding my hips until I was able to feel his stiff cock pressing against my belly.
Jack rubbed his hands up and down my back, caressing my forever tense muscles until I was relaxed in his arms. My protector.
Only when I heard the guttural sounds of others as they stood in the background watching did I finally push away, blushing as I darted a look in their direction. “How did you find me?”
“I remembered a little story you told me about a bar called Chubby’s on Anna Maria Island. Took a chance the place still existed. When I checked and found out it did, I knew you were here.”
I wiped the tears then glanced up and down the beach.
“It’s safe,” he said, rubbing his thumb under my eye.
“It’ll never be safe.” I hated saying the words. “Did you receive a package? Please tell me you did.”