A teenage son.
Joy battled trepidation. Why hadn’t she contacted them? One of the reasons he had fallen so hard and fast for her that summer was because she was a straight shooter. Anger reared its head at the thought of all the years he had missed in his son’s life. Things like his first footsteps, or teaching him how to play sports, or cook a meal. Why had Belinda cheated him of all that? He frowned, it didn’t make sense. He and Belinda had known each other since their junior year of high school. Even though they hadn’t been intimate until the summer after he graduated from undergrad, she knew his family took family seriously.
“Yes, that Belinda. She had a kid.” Blaine shook his head. “Is that why she left me? Because she was pregnant?”
“Left you?” Donald turned to watch his brother closely.
“Yes,” Blaine said, slowly meeting his gaze. “Then again, I guess she left both of us.”
Donald exhaled. In all their lives, he and Blaine had only come to blows once. Over one person. Belinda Moore. Just hearing his brother talk about the relationship he'd had with the woman he had loved poked the green monster that he’d thought was long gone.
“I wondered the same thing,” Donald said, watching Blaine’s eyes darken. So the green monster sat on both of their shoulders. Wonderful.
“I plan to go check this out,” Blaine said.
“Me too.”
Neither man spoke for a few moments.
“Look,” Donald said, grabbing a seat and facing his twin. “We need to discuss this. Remember we promised pops that we’d never allow anyone to come between us like that again. I admit, I was in love with Belinda. I know you said the same thing at the time. But she had a son from one of us and I need to make sure we’re cool before we go jetting off to confront her over skipping town and keeping the child to herself.”
“You think he’s your son?” Blaine asked in that thoughtful way of his.
Donald hesitated to admit the truth and only did so because he was speaking to his twin. Belinda had loved and been intimate with both of them. It was the only time in his life that he'd knowingly shared his woman. “He can be mine or yours. At any rate, I think he’s one of ours. Belinda only dated…well, the two of us that summer. She told me she loved us both.” The words and the memory still left a wicked taste on his tongue.
“She told me the same thing about you.” Blaine sighed and shook his head. “She was one of the few people who had no problem telling me off on one hand and comforting me on the other.”
Donald chuckled. “She was a pepper, that’s for sure. I miss her smile, the way her face would light up when she was happy. Strange, how memories come rushing back, filling in blanks when you hadn’t given them much thought in years.”
“I've still thought about her from time to time,” Blaine said. “Wondered how she was doing, if she had ever fallen in love, got married, had kids.” He snorted. “Just found out the answer to that last question.”
Donald hadn’t wanted to admit the one woman who had touched his heart often came across his mind. He gave Blaine high marks for being honest, even in something that caused them both discomfort. “How soon can we leave? I want to hear her excuse for not contacting either of us about the boy.”
Blaine stretched. His thick burnished hair fell against the top of his shirt collar. “I have to clear my desk. I’m thinking we should go this weekend.” He eyed Donald. “Can you clear your schedule for at least a week just in case we need to spend some time with him, catching up?”
Donald thought of his cases and mentally rearranged his schedule. A week was doable if he spent extra time in the office the rest of this week. He nodded slowly. “Yeah, that should work.” He turned to leave and go find Cameron, his personal assistant.
“Hey,” Blaine called as he reached the door.
Donald stopped and turned around. “Yeah?”
“No matter whose kid he is, I want you to know I’m going to love him. Regardless.”
Once again Blaine’s selflessness beat at him. “Same here. I’ve got your back.” He turned and headed to his rooms, praying that he had just spoken the truth.
Blaine relaxed in his chair gazing at the screen. Belinda Moore, her name continued to jump out at him, haunting him as no one ever had before or since. Over the years he'd wished he didn’t measure every woman he met to her, but he had. She was smart, could see to the heart of the matter, then zeroed in and called them out. When he had asked her why she'd dated Donald, she’d told him it was impossible to separate them, and that the two of them made one. At the time he'd disagreed. But life had proven her correct. He and his brother had a strong bond and functioned best as a team.
She was beautiful, not in a Hollywood way, more like she was kissed at birth by Mother Nature. He closed his eyes and the memory of her that was never too far from the surface rose before him. Her milk chocolate complexion had glowed with vitality. It was one of the things he had noticed about her in high school. Her gorgeous skin, curvy figure, and megawatt smile.
From the first time he saw her walking the hallway, he had been intrigued. She had been a freshman and at that time too young. He and Donald had college scholarships and were focused on their future plans.
Years flew by before he saw her again at Gigi’s, a local pizza place in town. She was leaving and he bumped into her. She dropped her box of leftovers and he caught it before it hit the ground. She smiled her thanks and he immediately remembered who she was. Intent on making arrangements to contact her later, he walked her outside. After giving him her phone number, she told him Donald had asked for her number as well and that she was interested in going out with both of them, separately, she had stressed. It was the hardest thing he had ever done, but he had still asked her for a date.
The next day he took her to an early movie and then pizza. Few people could make him laugh or think as hard as she had. Her quick wit and keen intelligence blew him over.
He and Donald discussed both of them dating Belinda, and decided as long as the other man was one of them, it was cool. Their dad warned them it wouldn’t work and tried to get both of them to back off. They didn't listen. Instead they both fell hard and fast for the chocolate beauty, and in the end they drove her away with their jealousy.
Blaine sat up in his chair. They both still cared for the same woman. “Sweet Belinda,” he whispered as he conjured a picture of her face, her smile, and her touch. Could he simply see her and not crave her touch and affection? He frowned. He and Donald had changed so much over the years, what would she think of their home? Their servants? Their lifestyle? Releasing a stream of air over the possible repercussions, he realized the upcoming reunion could become bumpy pretty fast.
Pushing away from the desk, he headed for the dungeon they had outfitted in the basement. He owed one of his servants a spanking and now was a good time. When he strode into the large well-lit space, Thalia came away from her place near the wall and extended her palms, holding out a large wooden paddle.
“Do you understand why you are being disciplined?” he asked, hoping he wouldn’t need to go into a long discussion on responsibility. She was new to their home and he wasn’t sure she’d last. He and Donald suspected she deliberately disobeyed the rules so she could be punished. That type of attitude disrupted their well-run home and wouldn’t be tolerated.
The top of her blond bowed head reached the middle of his chest. “Yes, Sir. I did not clean the kitchen.”
Blaine withheld a sigh at the blandness of her response. He would need to dismiss her before he left for Michigan. “You laid in bed all day, never assisted anyone with anything in the house, did not clean up behind yourself in the bathroom or kitchen when you did wake up, and did not complete your online studies for your GED.”
She rocked from side to side and then looked up at him wearing a small smile. “Can I make it up to you, Sir? I promise to do anything, anything at all to make you happy.”
Blaine saw her ploy all too clearly. She was
n’t the first to think they could use sex as a tool to ignore his rules.
“Yes. You can pack your bags and be prepared to leave within the hour. Cameron will return you to the city.”
Her eyes widened as her mouth opened and closed. “Leave? Why? Because I didn’t do the work the housekeeper assigned me? She’s jealous of me and gave me all that work to do. I’m sorry. I don’t want to leave.”
Curious, he asked her a question. “Why would Shay be jealous of you?” The older woman had been viciously abused by her husband and Donald had taken her divorce case pro bono. When they built this house, she had come on as their housekeeper and never left. Her submissive personality fit perfectly, but she had no interest in sex or pain.
Thalia met his gaze. “Because she’s fat and old,” she said with a sardonic twist to her lips as if he should know the answer.
Blaine allowed his gaze to sweep down her thin frame and wondered if Cameron could remove this woman in less than an hour. “You obviously don’t recall the contract you signed when you asked, and we agreed, to allow you to live here.”
“I do—”
He placed his hands behind his back as he shook his head. “No! Because if you did, you would understand the penalty for not completing your assigned chores. You don’t pay rent, buy food, clothes, or health insurance while under our care. We take care of all of that, in return you take care of our home… but not to expect a place in our bed. I don’t have sex with my servants, that is in large print on the contract you signed.”
“But, I didn’t –”
He waved down her excuses and stared into her red pinched face. “You were offering me your body in exchange for punishment or in addition to it. It doesn’t matter. I’m not interested. The penalty for breaking as many rules as you have today is not a spanking, for you that would be a reward, it’s termination of your contract.”
“What? I’ve only been here two months? Can’t I have another chance?”
“To do what, offer me your body again? Not help around the house as if you’re some diva? Make more work for everyone else? Or another shot at disrespecting a dear friend of mine. Shay is not my submissive, she works here, like you. And you don’t know her or the problems she’s had well enough to make any comments on how she looks or how old she is. I’d take ten Shays to you any day. Now get your shit packed, Cameron will take you into town.”
“But…but I don’t have any place to go, or any money. I’ve been working here for free the past two months,” she said in a petulant tone.
“He’ll take you to the Castle, you can stay there a few days. I’ll place a call to Mistress Pine, letting her know you’re on your way. We have an account set up with her, so you can stay a week or two while getting yourself together.”
“What about money?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
“What about rent? Food? Or those clothes you’re wearing. They look a lot better than what you were wearing when you moved in.” He paused seeing her crestfallen expression. “Look, you half-worked the entire time you were here, started drama with the other servants, and broke most of the rules. The only reason I didn’t dismiss you last month was because Shay pleaded on your behalf. She thought we should give you more time, but today I think you proved her wrong.”
“Why?”
“She didn’t defend you when the others complained and that said more than anything. If you think I owe you more than I’ve already given you, that’s your problem. But we were lenient with you and you took advantage. This gravy train stops right now.”
Her eyes widened at his words. She didn’t know one of the servants had told him and Donald she’d called living with them a gravy train.
He pulled out his cell and called Cameron. There was no way he’d allow his son to visit with a woman like this living here. It was going to be difficult enough convincing Lindy to allow his son to visit, he didn’t need any added drama.
Chapter 3
Red sat in his office sifting through the specs for the job he was working on when the door to his office slammed open and Smoke stuck his head in.
“Meeting in the conference room, now,” Smoke growled and then walked off.
Sighing loud and long, Red stood and followed his partner. He had been expecting this confrontation for a day or so. When he entered the room, Ross sat at one end of the long table while Smoke paced on the opposite side. Once Red took a chair a few seats from Ross, Smoke stopped, looked at him and then Ross.
“Why haven’t either of you responded to Julio’s dinner invitation?”
Although the question was couched in a semi-polite, conversational tone, Red knew by the tic in Smoke’s jaw, his friend was pissed. Red glanced at Ross who stared at Smoke.
Clearing his throat, Red drew Smoke’s heated gaze. “You and I both know there’s been some extra stuff happening on the street. Word is the cartel has an interest in Detroit, and folks are attributing it to Julio moving back. I got a wife and kids, man. I don’t want them caught in the crossfire.” Strange, his words sounded weaker now than when he’d rationalized his position a few days ago. With everything going on with his brothers finding out they had a son and that the kid was in the program, perhaps he should rethink his opinion. If his nephew hung in the streets, he definitely did not want to be on Julio’s bad side. Damn, he wished he knew more about the kid.
“What the…” Smoke’s mouth tightened and then he looked at Ross. “You too, this how you feel? That sitting down at a meal with the man who saved your life and your damn livelihood would somehow put your wife and kids in danger?”
Red flinched at the reminder of what they all owed Julio. He had been too hasty.
“Yes. Pretty much,” Ross said in a low voice.
Smoke leaned forward and placed his hands flat on the table. “Let me go on the record saying this… that’s a douche move. Only a bitch with no memory would slap the face that made it possible for your wife and children to see you every night. Or did you forget about the assholes gunning for our asses?” He stepped back and pointed at them. “They stole our company name, did all kinds of trifling shit. Almost shut us down. And you sit here and say you don’t want your family in the crossfire? There would be no damn families if it were not for Julio,” he said in a tight voice.
Red nodded. “I know he’s your friend –”
“Damn right he’s my friend. I’d take a bullet for him. I’d take a bullet for both of you. That’s how I roll for my boys. I don’t judge you and get caught up in bullshit.” Smoke paused. A vein throbbed in his forehead. “Damn, now you got me wondering.”
“Wondering?” Ross asked, watching their partner carefully. Typically it took a lot for Smoke to burn or get riled, but when he did…there were usually fireworks. The man could be unpredictable.
“If I do something you don’t like or think might corrupt your family or place them in danger, would you just write me off. I mean you haven’t even said hi to the man. You don’t know if the shit you heard is true. You didn’t even give this man, your friend, the fucking benefit of the doubt.” He slapped his chest. “So…I’m wondering how you . . .” He pointed at Red and then Ross. “How you’d treat me.” He nodded repeatedly, his hot gaze pinned Red to his chair. “We been through some shit together, but seeing how you handle this, someone you owe big time, it’s got me wondering.”
Ross sat forward in his seat with his hands clasped. “You’re right. It was a douche move. I fucked up. My daughter had a dance recital the night he invited me to the first dinner and I should have accepted the invite the moment it came. I owe the man and Cherise would be pissed as all get out if she knew I hadn’t accepted.” He paused. “But you’re wrong to think I would treat you the same or differently for any reason. When you disappeared, Julio wasn’t the only friend about to tear down this city to find you. He had different resources, can’t argue that, but we did things that we all agreed we’d never discuss again. You my boy and there’s very little you could do that w
ould change my opinion or how I would treat you. If you started fucking up, I would do exactly the same thing you are doing now, pull your ass on the carpet and talk some sense into that hard head of yours.”
Red’s heart plummeted. He’d been the one to bring all the gossip to Ross and started all of this shit. Now he had to face the bear and deal with the fallout. Things had changed. He had a nephew who probably dabbled in Julio’s world. Blaine and Donnie would kick his ass all over town if their son was targeted because of this bullshit. He needed to fix this fast before the twins came to town.
“You talking crazy, now Smoke,” Red said, running his palm across his face. “Nothing you could or would do gonna change us, we brothers. You got a problem, you in some shit, we all up in it. That’s how we roll, so cut that drama.”
“Drama?”
Red waved Smoke down. “We messed up. I messed up. Forgot stuff, important stuff. My bad, you right, it’s a douche move. I haven’t reached out to him, or welcomed him back home yet. The real reason is… I’m not sure how to do that. The Julio I know was a damn carpenter. He had a magical touch with wood, a dry sense of humor, and stayed to himself or hung with you. This Julio… is a top man in the damn mafia or cartel, same thing in my book. What do I say to him? What’s up my man, killed anybody lately?”
“Only if you want to be next,” Smoke said dryly.
Ross chuckled.
“I know, right? You gotta admit things have changed, I don’t know where the lines are with this guy, what if I cross them? I always liked him, I just never knew him that good,” Red said, trying to explain his hesitation.
Smoke straightened and shook his head. “Julio is married. Just like you and you.” He pointed at them. “He wanted to introduce you to his wife…think about that for a moment. His wife.”
Ross nodded.
Red wanted to kick his own ass for forgetting that fact. Denise would be sure to have something to say about that. “Damn, that’s deep. A man doesn’t do that for just anybody.”
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