by Iris Bolling
Trish read over the agreement. "All you want from me is information."
Cannon nodded. "We would like to also represent you in the pending case against Nicole Brooks, at our expense, of course."
"Very well.” Trish signed the document. "What do you need to know?"
Cannon picked up the document, reviewed the signature, then handed her a cashier's check for one million dollars. "Tell me everything you know about Xavier Davenport."
"I thought this was about Nicole."
"Since your efforts to cause issues between the two seemed to have backfired, we now have to prepare a defense against her would be protector."
"That would be her family, Xavier barely knows her."
"You are defending a man who according to you, put you out of his home for that lesbian heifer? Hmmm. Shall we rethink this assignment?"
"No," Trish quickly replied. "No issue."
"Good. Shall we continue?"
Manhattan, New York
Friday Afternoon
Vernon had never enjoyed a plane ride as much as he enjoyed the one to New York with Taylor. The short forty-five minute trip was filled with his daughter's music. Not any of the songs she'd released or even had on paper. Just music in her mind and he loved every bit of it. Taylor was not only beautiful she was talented. With her intelligence she was going to give some man a fit.
He put the luggage in Nicole's first spare bedroom and began to unpack.
Taylor walked in eating ice cream. "What are you doing?"
"Unpacking."
"We never unpack ourselves, Mother always hires someone to do that."
Vernon eyed his daughter. He was not going to have a pampered princess as a daughter. He reached down, picked up her bag. "Come with me." Taylor followed him to the second bedroom. He placed the bag on the bed. "There are certain things you learn to do for yourself. Unpacking your own underwear is one."
Taylor looked appalled. "Daddy."
Vernon stopped at the door. “Taylor." He smiled as he left the room. Constance may have a sense of entitlement, but the Brooks’ worked for a living. He shook his head. The last thing he wanted was his daughter to think the world owed her something she hadn't earned. The house phone rang.
"Brooks residence."
"You have a visitor, Mr. Brooks."
"We'll be right down," Vernon replied, then called out. "Taylor, time to go."
Taylor peeked out of the door. "Daddy do I have to fold these before they go into the dresser drawer?" The incredulous look on her father's face caused her to huff. "Hey, I've never done this before, what do you expect."
Vernon walked into the room, taking the top from her as he walked by. With patience she did not know her father possessed, he folded the top then placed it neatly in the drawer.
"You try it."
Taylor took another top, emulated what she’d seen, then smiled up at her father.
To him she looked like a little girl waiting for her father's approval. "Not bad." He kissed her temple, put his arm over her shoulder then walked out of the room. "When we come back I'm going to teach you how to wash clothes."
Taylor paused. "You are not serious."
Vernon stepped onto the elevator. "Are you serious about Columbia?"
"Yes, but what does that have to do with washing clothes?"
The elevator doors closed. "College students have to wash clothes at some point."
"Mother just sends them out."
"Clothes that have to go to the cleaners, yes, but not your underwear."
"Yes, the underwear too."
The look on Vernon's face must have been hilarious, for the moment Genesis Williams saw him she burst into laughter. "Having a father daughter moment?"
“Daddy, we have maids at the house. We don't wash clothes at the house."
"You are not going to have maids at Columbia.”
"Why not?"
Genesis laughed again as they walked out of the building to the waiting sedan and driver. "Why not, Daddy?"
The driver opened the door allowing the threesome to climb inside. "You are not helping.” He quickly glanced at Genesis."
"I don't understand why you raised me one way and now because I want to go to college you expect me to be somebody different. If you had wanted me to grow up knowing how to do laundry, you should have taught me."
Everyone was quiet for a moment. "Point taken," Vernon replied.
"I have no objections to learning, however, this is not going to be an overnight change. It took you twenty years to make me this way, it should take at least that long for me to break the habit." For the first time Taylor looked up at Genesis. "Hi, I'm Taylor, daughter to the father with no heart, who is throwing his daughter into battle unprepared."
"Forgive my child.” Vernon turned to Genesis. "She's not usually this unruly."
"She's a mini you. Has an argument for everything a person has to say. I take it the trip to Columbia means you are going to law school?"
"That's the plan unless father dearest is planning to ship me somewhere to milk a cow or something." Taylor smirked and looked out the window.
"Driver, pull the car over."
The driver did as requested.
Taylor began to laugh. "Daddy, what are you doing?"
Vernon tipped the driver, as Taylor and Genesis stepped out of the vehicle.
"Daddy is going to prepare you for the battle."
Being off the job didn't diminish the skills used to detect trouble. Being with the FBI for the past five years, Genesis had learned to see what normal eyes missed. Such as the taxi that suddenly stopped when they pulled over. Or the man who casually stepped out of the taxi, who was now acting preoccupied, but keeping an eye on them. The question in Genesis’ mind was, which one of them was he following? Vernon? Taylor? Or, her?
"We're going to walk to the campus. No time like the present to learn to walk with the common folk, princess." Vernon tilted his head.
Taylor did the same, but she had no retort. She took her father’s hand and smiled like a kid in a candy store.
"Do you mind?" Vernon looked over his shoulder as Taylor pulled him along.
"Not at all. I prefer it," she said. In her mind Genesis was thinking it gave her an opportunity to determine what or who the man was after.
An hour later, Vernon and Genesis sat on the steps outside a building on campus as Taylor browsed the bookstore. They each had a bottle of water as they talked.
"Why did you leave the agency after fighting so hard to get in?" Vernon asked.
"The plan wasn't to stay at the agency forever.”
"Yeah, but five years, I would have expected at least ten."
Genesis shrugged. "You get burned out."
"Not you, Genesis. It's in your blood."
"You asked me to meet you here to discuss my career choices?"
"No. You keep your own counsel, you always have."
"Thank you, I think. So, what's up?"
"I met someone. She sparked my interest in a way…” He shook his head unable to explain. "It felt like a bolt of lightning."
"The great untouchable Vernon Brooks, you are blushing.” Genesis laughed. "Must be a hell of a woman to capture that brain of yours."
"You captured me."
Genesis looked away as she replied, "I was a hell of a woman."
"You still are.” They held each other's gaze for a long moment.
"That was a long time ago.” She broke the contact. "Why are you traveling backwards?"
"It was fun. I was full of life then. I haven't felt that free in years. Until yesterday."
"You've been rather tense since you married Connie," Genesis smirked.
"She was carrying my child. I wasn't going to give that up for anything."
"I'm the person you don't have to remind." Genesis exhaled. "She's a beautiful young woman. I love the way she handles you."
"I can't be handled."
Genesis laughed. "You are delusional."
Vernon laughed. "Yeah, she got me." He hesitated. "I'm going to divorce her."
Genesis did not reply.
"I look at my parents and all they have endured, especially with me. I used to wonder how they made it through. Then I see James and his wife and the answer finally hit me. They married for love. That gave them that foundation to make it through the hard times."
"I'm not sure that's the right conclusion."
"Because we didn't make it?"
“No," she replied a little too quickly, but recovered just as fast. "We were young, had no idea what in the hell we were doing. You were with Connie, I was with butthole."
They both laughed. "Have you ever called that man by his right name?"
"You mean his birth name? No." She smiled, then sobered. “Vernon, life is a funny thing. You have to grab the moments. Few people get do-overs.” She held his eyes. "If you found someone who makes you tingle inside, grab her and don't let go."
"Getting sentimental in your old age?"
“No.” Genesis grinned. “Realistic."
He hesitated. "She's someone you know."
"I know. She called me yesterday inquiring about you."
Vernon sat up from his slouching position. "What did she say?"
Genesis grinned. "Look at you acting like a high school teenager, all inquisitive and everything."
"Don't play with me, Genesis. What did she ask? Did you tell her about us?"
"No. Rene wouldn't give you the time of day if she thought it would cause a rift between our team. I have to say, until this moment, I was debating on my response to the thought of you and Naverone."
"And."
"I love both of you. If any woman could tame you, it's Naverone. I'm cool with it. At some point you are going to tell her about us. If you don’t, I will. Clear?"
"Clear."
Genesis turned to see Taylor walking toward them with a bag in her hand. She smiled. "Question, before your daughter reaches us."
"Sure."
"Why is she being followed?”
Charlottesville, VA
Friday Evening
They had barely made it through the first course of dinner when the urge to touch her consumed him. They left the restaurant and returned to the cottage before the main course was served. Mrs. Leigh had the meal wrapped and sent to them.
Hours later, Xavier stood at the window of the cottage taking in the majestic view of the mountains at night. It did seem the top touched heaven. If he were a rich man, he would buy property in the area and build a private retreat for him and Nicole to visit every year. The thought caused him a moment’s pause. He was thinking in future terms with a woman he only met a week ago. He ran his hands through his braids as he exhaled. There was no reason he couldn't do exactly what he was thinking. Thanks to his uncles, Royce and Grayson Davenport, he had invested well. Following their leads had made him comfortable financially. Not to Nicole's level, but then few people were. Building a retreat for them was well within his means. The question was whether he was ready for the long-term commitment.
Unlike Nicole's parents, his could not provide him with an example of how to do long term. His parents were not the model for long-term relationships. Zack and Diamond were only two years in. Less for his Uncle Royce and Shelly, who married a little over a year ago. His Uncle Grayson was still playing the field. There was his friend Grant's parents, who were the weirdest of them all. They had been separated for as long as he had known Grant, but neither had filed for divorce. Anytime they needed something, the other was right there helping. Whenever Mr. Hutchinson had events at his home, Mrs, Hutchinson acted as hostess and he did the same for her. It seemed to be one of the happiest relationships he had ever witnessed. Yet they slept under different roofs. Hell he couldn’t even imagine not having Nicole in his bed after the last two nights. He glanced up at the loft where she was asleep. His body was yearning to be with her now, but after two nights of round the clock lovemaking, he knew she needed to sleep. What in the hell had gotten into him? He had just concluded he'd officially lost his mind, when from the corner of his eye he saw a movement outside.
Not moving, he kept his eyes on the area. After a few seconds he started to turn away thinking it was his imagination, but then he saw it again. There was someone outside their cottage. It was three o'clock in the morning. There was no reason anyone would be in the area. Their cottage was the only one down that end. It startled him for a second, then he thought, the media. They must have found their cottage. As long as they kept their distance he didn't care. He turned, walked back up the stairs to the loft, gathered Nicole in his arms, closed his eyes and prayed his erection would not wake her up.
Chapter 14
Charlottesville, VA
Saturday
Nicole stretched enjoying the warmth of the comforter over her. Something was missing. Her hands spread over the area next to her. It was empty. She sat up and inhaled the wonderful aroma coming from downstairs. Standing, she ran her fingers through her hair as she walked over to the railing.
“This is what I call enticing, a man cooking early in the morning.”
“Good morning, beautiful,” Xavier beamed from the kitchen. “Coffee’s hot.” He took a sip.
“I’ll be right down.” Nicole quickly jumped in the shower, washed her face and brushed her teeth. When she entered the kitchen area, the table was covered with fresh fruit, waffles, and bacon. Xavier was at the counter top cracking eggs into a bowl.
Dressed in a tee-shirt, she walked up behind him, wrapped her arms around his waist and let her hands splay across his chest. She planted a kiss between his shoulder blades, then rested her head there. “What are you cooking now?”
“Omelets with a little salsa for the spicy woman who shared the bed with me last night.”
“How spicy was she?”
He reached back and pulled her in front of him, her back to the counter and kissed her. “So spicy, I’m still sizzling.” He rocked against her as he whipped all the ingredients in the bowl.
“How can I help?”
“You can cook tomorrow. This one is on me.”
She slipped under his arm, as he poured the mixture into the pan. “I’ll get some juice to cool you off.”
“Juice will help, darling, but it will not douse the heat you generate.”
“Smooth talker.” She smiled as she poured juice into the glasses on the table.
“Where did you learn how to cook?” she asked after taking a seat at the table and biting into a slice of bacon.
“Zack. Survival was paramount in our house. So everyone had to learn to fend for themselves. Zack made sure I knew the basics so I wouldn’t burn down the house.” He added a generous amount of cheese to the omelet, then neatly folded it in half. After a few moments the omelet slid easily from the pan onto a plate. He then cut it in half, sharing it with her.
“Smells delicious,” she said as he filled their plates.
“I have to keep your stamina up, we have another night to explore.”
The crooked smile he sent her way caused involuntary reactions from her body. “You keep looking at me like that and we’re not going to make it through breakfast.”
“Eat.” He winked at her. “There is a method to my madness. I feed you, then wear you out. It keeps you healthy and happy.”
“If all the men in my life would be as thoughtful, I’d be a happy woman.”
“Hmmm.” He watched her take a bite into the omelet and savored the expression on her face. “Tell me about this London deal that has you stressed out.”
“Whew, I don’t want to talk business. Especially that deal. I can’t believe I screwed it up.”
“From the little I know about it, I don’t see where it’s screwed. You want to design a community in London with all the amenities of city living. The designer is not cooperating in the manner you’d like. It’s your project, why not take control?”
“It’s not quite that simple. See the rule of th
umb is never use your own money for business deals. I broke that rule. I allowed emotions to cloud my judgment.”
“How so?”
She stopped eating and looked up at him. “It was petty. I wanted to show Hayward Ellington that I could play with the big boys.”
“The real estate mogul of the world and you wanted to show him up.” He grinned. “Ambitious.”
“Go big or stay home.” She smiled. “Brooks’ has properties all over the world, however, we never developed it from beginning to end. I wanted to put the Brooks name in that international category.”
“Have you done it here, in the United States?”
“No.” She began eating again.
“Why not? Is there some significance to establishing Brooks in development internationally?”
“Not really.”
“You wanted to go big.” She nodded. “Your mistake wasn’t emotions. There is nothing wrong with having a goal, even a big one. Your mistake was allowing Ellington to take you out of your game. Rethink your position. You own the land designated for the London deal, right?”
“Yes.”
“Well, they can’t do the project without the land.”
“Ellington is trying to.” She shrugged her shoulders. “In reality, he would have to purchase the land from me or find another property.”
“This was your concept, right.”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“It seems one of the reasons Ellington is fighting this project with vigor is because you are pushing it so hard. What do you think Ellington’s reaction will be if you step back and stop pushing this plan?”
“Let the project sit?”
“Work on something else. Do a development project here, in the United States. I know for a fact there are abandoned properties all over the city of Richmond that could stand for a good revitalization. A completed project here will put you in a better position for an international deal next year.”
She thought about that for a moment. “A lot comes along with the name Ellington on a project.”
“Are you saying it doesn’t with the Brooks’ name? If that’s the case this could be an opportunity for you to change that. Are you saying a project would not succeed without Ellington’s name on it?”