“What? That doesn’t make any sense.”
Maxwell shook his head, his cheeks wet.
Horrified that the man was actually crying, Harvey turned him back around and made him sit down. He dumped the wine—which Maxwell never drank—and poured him a glass of chilled water from the fridge. “Talk to me, Maxwell. What’s wrong? Why would you say such a thing?”
“They made me promise.” He raised beseeching eyes to Harvey’s, his weary, lined face as grief stricken as the day they’d put his parents in the ground. “I wanted to tell you so badly, but I couldn’t break my word.”
“About your relationship with them? I’m not upset about that, not really. I was just trying to push you away. Now that I know, it explains a lot that I never really understood as a kid.”
Maxwell shook his head. “No, it’s more than that. They didn’t want me to tell you for a very specific reason. I abided by our agreement for years, but as you got older, I felt like we were lying to you. It ate away at me, and I begged them to tell you the truth. That night, they promised they would.”
Harvey sat down hard and winced.
Maxwell choked on a laugh. “That will get better in another day or two.”
Harvey’s cheeks burned. “You know about that too?”
“I’m old but I’m not deaf. Of course I know about what goes on under this roof. It’s my job to know.” His amusement quickly faded back to sad resignation though. “Did they say anything to you that night? Before the accident?”
As a thousand times before, Harvey let the last few moments play through his mind. “They did the whole ‘you know we love you but…’ bit. I honestly thought they were going to disinherit me because of all my partying when I came back home.”
“They didn’t approve, but they also knew you had to work things out for yourself. They’d never have disinherited you for that. I’m sure your mother would have had quite a lot to say about you letting Kelsey walk away though.”
Harvey braced his elbows on the table and dropped his forehead into his hands. “Don’t remind me.”
“They didn’t say anything else?” Maxwell asked softly. “Anything about me?”
Harvey raised his head and searched the other man’s face. “No.”
Maxwell dropped his gaze to the granite lying between them and traced his fingers over the speckled patterns. “I fell in love with Nathan first. He’s the reason I stayed in America rather than going home after college. But nothing came of it for many years. He married Melissa and I was happy to work for them just to be close to him. But over time, his feelings deepened for me, and we went to her. God, I was so scared. I remember my knees shaking so badly that I almost couldn’t stand. I was sure she’d fire me on the spot. But she merely smiled and said it was about fucking time.”
Harvey gasped. “Mom cursed?”
“She sure did. I guess she’d known of my attachment for quite some time. As Nathan and I became more intimate, I realized there was a side to him I’d never had the privilege of knowing or seeing. He was very dedicated to Melissa, both as her husband and also as her submissive. Slowly, I found myself drawn into their circle more and more, and she accepted me as her submissive too.”
Harvey covered his ears. “La la la la—I don’t want to hear any specific details about that.”
Maxwell smiled, but it was a sad echo of all they’d both lost. “They were married fifteen years without children. They went to every doctor in the country and no one could help.”
Harvey’s stomach flip-flopped. His parents had been older, and he’d begged them for siblings. They’d laughed and said he was more than they could handle.
“When she invited me to their bed, we didn’t use protection. We never had any tests done. They refused, in fact. But…”
“You think you’re my biological father.” His voice sounded funny, tinny and hollow. “Not Dad.”
“He was so afraid you’d think less of him. Not only because he’d had such difficulties fathering a child, but also because of our relationship. So he asked me not to tell you, and I agreed. I didn’t push for a test, because they were right. You were our son. They allowed me to care for you as if you were my own, even encouraged it. It worked with our family dynamics. In my mind, you were my son, whether I had a DNA test to prove it or not. As the years went by, though, it became more and more important to me that we tell you the truth. We saw you struggling with intimacy and relationships, and I suspected knowing some of our history would help you. But my promise sealed my lips. I couldn’t tell you. But they could. They were supposed to tell you that night.”
Maxwell’s voice cracked and he gripped the countertop with gnarled hands used to cooking and cleaning his entire life. “I lost them. Then I almost lost you too. You were so angry. I could see you punishing yourself day in and day out and it killed me to see you in such pain. I felt like I failed them every single moment of each day, because you weren’t getting any better and I didn’t know what to do to help you. That’s why I searched out a woman like Kelsey. I hoped that seeing a Mistress in action would at least get you to thinking about it and asking questions. If you asked me the right questions, I’d be free to tell you. I didn’t expect you to love her, but I’m glad, Harvey. You need her.”
Something started to crumble inside Harvey. His body ached all over and his face burned like he had a fever. His entire life was a sham.
No. Watching the way Maxwell’s shoulders slumped and his regal head sank with regret and heartache, he couldn’t say that his life was a lie. He’d always known that Maxwell loved him as much as his parents had loved him. He’d just never known why.
Somehow he managed to get out of his chair despite his trembling legs. He stumbled around the bar and wrapped his arms around Maxwell. Breathing hard, Maxwell squeezed him so fiercely he couldn’t breathe. But that was okay, because he squeezed Maxwell as hard.
“I’m sorry we never told you,” Maxwell cried. “We should have.”
“It doesn’t matter now.” Harvey breathed in the old familiar scents of pipe smoke and tobacco. “I know now.”
“Do you want a formal DNA test to prove it one way or the other?”
“No. I know. I think somehow I’ve always known.” He dropped his head against Maxwell’s shoulder. “Dad.”
Maxwell clutched him harder and rocked slightly, his shoulders shaking with sobs. “I’m so sorry.”
“No. Don’t be sorry. You were always there for me. Even when all I wanted to do was die.”
“What are you going to do now?”
Harvey pulled away and grabbed a napkin to wipe his face. “I’m going to get Caine Enterprises going strong. I’m going to hire a bunch of new people so you don’t have to work ever again. And then I’m going to figure out a way to convince Kelsey to give me another chance.”
Maxwell wiped his eyes with an old-fashioned handkerchief. Harvey couldn’t help but notice the embroidered initial before he folded it and put it away. C. “I might have an idea to help with that.”
“Yeah?”
Maxwell smiled and looked decades younger. “I think it’s time to reinstate the New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball.”
Harvey narrowed a glare on him, which only made him smile wider. “You do realize that tomorrow’s Christmas. How are you going to plan a party in a week?”
Maxwell smiled mysteriously and started gathering up the dishes. “I know a person who might know a person who’s pretty terrific at organizing parties.”
Harvey mock-slapped his hands. “Leave the dishes for the help tomorrow and get some rest. I order it.”
Drawing his robe around him like it was the finest silk in the world, Maxwell replied gravely, “As you wish, Master Caine. Merry Christmas.”
Harvey slapped him on the back and then raced for the door. “You’re fired.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Kelsey stared down at the heavy stationery and then picked up the phone and called Lilly Harrison. “What’s this party all about?”
Lilly laughed. “Hello to you too, and how was your Christmas?”
“Sorry,” Kelsey grumbled. “Is there really a party? Or is he scamming me somehow?”
“Would I allow my name to be put on something that was a scam?”
Kelsey scanned the invitation again. “So there really is going to be a New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball, a ‘grand reinstitution of a beloved institution missed by the local BDSM scene, dedicated in memory of Nathan and Melissa Caine’?”
“Isn’t it exciting? I squeed when Mr. Maxwell called and asked if I had any ideas of how we could pull it off so quickly. I called my friend who’s great at parties and gathered a short list for this year’s ball, but I’m sure we’ll easily be able to double or triple next year’s attendance if Mr. Caine wants. The hardest part was reserving the usual facility on such short notice, but that’s where knowing a few billionaires can be extremely helpful.” Lilly paused a moment. “With Mr. Caine’s blessing, this party will actually serve dual purposes.”
“How’s that?”
“Donovan and I will also be celebrating our wedding at the party. We’re getting married in a small, private ceremony that morning.”
It was hard to be enthusiastic when she kept lying awake staring at the ceiling wondering how Harvey was doing, but she did her best. “Oh, yay! That’s great—congrats! So he’s finally convinced you it’s time?”
“We unveiled the stained glass windows I’ve been working on, so there’s really nothing else standing in our way…but me, of course. I’m a fucking nervous twit who can’t keep a thing in my head right now. Thank God for Diana. She’s taking over the party setup, and Donovan’s personal assistant is taking care of the actual ceremony, so all I really have to do is show up. I’m still a basket case though.”
“Do you have a dress?”
“Yes, supposedly. We’ve been talking about a last-minute, small wedding for a while, so he convinced me to order a dress from a designer in Texas, since she’d need time to finish it. It’s supposed to be here tomorrow.”
“I can’t wait to see it.”
“I’ll wear it to the party, plus a mask, of course. We kept the guest list short for this first year, so there’s only going to be twenty to thirty people.”
“All billionaires?” Kelsey tried to keep the thread of worry out of her voice, but she hated formal events. She hated stressing about what to wear, and if what she had would be nice enough. She didn’t want to show up to prom in an ill-fitting thrift shop find all over again.
“Hardly. My best friend Marie will be there. Donovan’s attorney is dating Diana, but I’m sure he’ll ask his assistant to come. I don’t even think Ann’s in the lifestyle, but we’re welcoming anyone who’s supportive of BDSM. I’m sure some will be in formal gowns, while others will come in a costume. A few might even wear latex and bring a few fun props, but it’s not required. As long as you have a mask to pay tribute to the masquerade theme, no one will care.”
“Are you sure? I mean it’s the Caines after all.”
“You never told me how it went with Harvey,” Lilly said in a sly voice. “I mean, Mr. Caine. Were you able to help him?”
“Um, yeah. That’s one way to put it.”
Lilly laughed, a deep, sultry chuckle that would make her a fortune if she ever wanted to sell phone sex. “I thought you two would make a good match. What happened?”
Kelsey blew out a sigh. It’d be good to talk to someone about it. Especially a former pro. “We were a good match, despite the complications. He needs to be in therapy and he’s still got medical issues that need attention, but I would help him with that. But all bets were off once he found out I’d been bought and paid for by Mr. Maxwell.”
“Ouch, yeah, these billionaires don’t take any little sting to their massive egos very well at all.”
“You can say that again. It’s killing me, because I know he had a big meeting with his aunt, this whole grand scheming plot he’d been working on for years, and I have no idea how it turned out.”
“Then call the man.”
“I can’t. I don’t want to mess him up more than he already is.”
“Is that really what you’re worried about? Or is it more than that?”
Kelsey stood up so she could pace back and forth in the tiny space between the couch and her television stand. “I think a little space would be good for both of us. I was getting too attached, too quickly.”
“That’s not always a bad thing, you know. Donovan swears he fell in love with me the first time I came into his office. When I let him take me home the first night, life as I’d known it was over. I didn’t spend a night without him after that, and haven’t yet.”
“But he knew what he wanted. He knew what he needed. Right?”
“Yes. He came looking for me. He actually wanted to hire me, sort of a mix between a professional Domme and his personal beck-and-call girl. He quickly had a very rude awakening.”
“But that’s what Harvey thinks I was. He saw the fifty thousand dollars Gordon paid me, coincidentally after we’d had sex and I’d given him his first punishment scene.”
“And he jumped to conclusions.”
“No, he actually held his temper better than I expected. He waited for an explanation, and I told him the truth.”
“And?”
“The truth is that my services were bought and paid for. Of course I never intended to take him to bed, but it was hard to convince him of that while he waved that check around.”
“Ha, I bet in his arrogance he demanded he be allowed to pay you as much as a bonus so as not to be outdone by another.”
“Double.”
“Of course.” Lilly laughed. “Then he made light of everything that had happened overnight and told you to leave. He never wanted to see you again.”
“Pretty much. Until I got this invitation.”
“So that’s his way of telling you he’s gotten over his injured pride.”
“He couldn’t send flowers and a card?”
“He’s a billionaire. You’re lucky he isn’t buying the whole building in which to throw the party. Donovan bought a ridiculously huge warehouse just so I could do a stained glass window. They’re so used to having money, and lots of it, that they think with money first. What’s the biggest, most extravagant way for him to apologize for being a dick and ask you back?”
“Throw a party.” Kelsey shook her head. “I hate parties.”
“It’s cute in a way. At least he’s making an effort to show you that he’s along for the BDSM ride, while honoring his parents at the same time.”
She sighed and plopped back down on the couch. “I suppose.”
“So what are you going to wear to this masquerade?”
A wicked smile curved her lips. “The maid outfit, of course. And I’ll be bringing the paddle along as a reminder.”
“That’s my girl.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Waiting sucked. Harvey drove everyone mad with his “crazed party planning”, as Maxwell called it, and now that the event was finally here, his stomach rolled and pitched so badly he felt seasick.
He’d secured a dozen suites at the Depot for any guests who wished to imbibe, either in alcohol or something more physical. According to Maxwell, the annual masquerade had always been famous for a BDSM play or demonstration as entertainment, something tasteful and high-end, but definitely sensual. Since Harvey was completely new to the scene, he had no idea what that entailed. Luckily Maxwell’s contacts had been able to make some recommendations.
He stared at himself in the mirror of the largest rented suite and wiped his sweaty palms on his pants. He’d wanted to make a statement to Kelsey—if she showed
up—but he wasn’t ready to strip nude and walk around in a leash. Evidently that had and might happen tonight. Just thinking about it made him blush like a schoolgirl. Hosting the party openly with his family name was a major coming-out admission to the BDSM community, of which he’d only learned about his parents’ participation. Hell, stepping outside his home was a huge improvement to how he’d been living the past few years.
But he wanted to make somewhat of a grand gesture for her. Something personal. So he’d wrapped himself in a string of Christmas lights.
“I still think this is a bad idea,” Maxwell said. “It’s not very safe. No one does bondage with a set of glass bulbs.”
Harvey adjusted the strand around his throat so the lights in the front were better framed in the neck of his shirt. He’d gone for a simple white dress shirt and black pants, but he’d unbuttoned the shirt to his sternum. That way guests wouldn’t be totally horrified by the scars on his left shoulder and arm. A phantom-style mask hid the bad side of his face. It’d taken some engineering, but he’d finally figured out how to rig a battery pack to power the lights. “I paid extra to ensure these were shatterproof. You could step on a bulb and not break it.”
He turned to Maxwell and held out his wrists. Maxwell twisted the string around each wrist and then wrapped a couple of loops around both together, effectively tying Harvey’s hands together in front of him. “It’s not stepping on a bulb I’m worried about.”
“It’s only decoration. I could get out of this in a heartbeat if I needed to.”
“I just hope you’re not asking me to use a set of tweezers later to pull shards of glass out of your butt.”
“Very funny.” He glanced in the mirror one last time. “Do you think she’ll come?”
“For the millionth time, I’m sure of it. Of course, you could have called her, rather than waiting like Rapunzel in your tower to see if she’d come back. Women like her don’t knock on the door and beg forgiveness because your pride took a hit.”
The Billionaire's Christmas Bargain: Billionaires in Bondage, Book 3 Page 20