This didn’t make any sense. “Why would you want to be around us?” I posed the question with my psychologist’s demeanor — the only weapon I had against the insanity I was hearing.
“Because, Bro… you’re connected. You know people and there’s a little track down the road called Churchill. I need you to grease those connections and keep me employed. And if you do it right, you keep yourself and this lil’ filly here alive. Get it?”
“Leave her out of this!” I was boiling.
“Love to, Bro, but she was… let’s say, born into her role. Shame too... she’s a pretty little piece. If it weren’t for sharin’ eyes, I might like to take a poke at her myself.”
That was when I lunged at him, knocking us both into the table. Auggie screamed as I began to pummel his face. He was equally strong, however, and grabbed my fists after the first few punches. In the back of my consciousness, I heard Bill’s voice, warning me to stop. He finally pulled me off and the bastard began wiping imaginary dirt from his sleeves. “Whoa, whoa, lil’ Bro,” he taunted me. “I do believe you may have crossed a line just now. Officer?” he turned to Bill. “I’d like to press charges for assault with intent to do bodily harm,” he stated in a calm, rehearsed tone, and I realized it had been his plan all along.
Bill glared at me. I knew I’d lost it and was going to regret it. The cops had already been called so there was nothing to do but stand and wait for them. They cuffed me and I quickly told Auggie to get home, lock the doors and stay with Ford until I contacted her. “Call Brandon,” I told her, referring to her attorney friend who had always wanted to be her first choice. I couldn’t believe I was now in the position of asking for his help. “Bill, look after her,” I called over my shoulder and heard his accommodating grunt.
They had taken me away in the squad car, charges pending. So, now, there I was, in a cell waiting to see what they’d do to me. That’s when an officer came up to my bars and unlocked the door. “LaViere?”
I nodded.
“Charges have been dropped. Get out of here,” he said, holding the door open. Behind me, there were catcalls and jeering cheers from those who would not be so lucky.
Bill was waiting at the curb when I emerged from the building. “Take me home,” I told him, but he had already pulled away.
CHAPTER TWO
Worth
Bill followed me into the house where Auggie was anxiously waiting, her eyes filled with concern. “Bill, be with you in a few,” I said.
I whispered to Auggie, “I love you, but need to wash the stink off before I hug you.” She nodded and promptly ushered Bill into the family room. I heard her offering him something to eat and drink as I bounded up the stairs and took the hottest shower I can ever remember.
Throwing on sweat pants and a t-shirt, I combed my hair and when I got downstairs, the first thing I did was embrace Auggie, kissing the top of her head as I held her tightly. Betsy appeared with Ford and I held him between Auggie and myself, closing my eyes and absorbing their clean innocence. I handed Ford back to Betsy, who left us alone, and pulled Auggie down onto the sofa next to me.
“Bill, talk to me,” I said.
“Well, dammit, Worth, you knew better than to pull that stunt. Lucky for you, I convinced him that none of you needed any attention and he dropped the charges. Otherwise, you’d be sittin’ in there and there wouldn’t be a whole lot I could do without calling attention to you.”
“I know. I appreciate your role in all this and for looking after Auggie. I want security, Bill. I want a man here at the house twenty-four-seven and another at the clinic when any of my family is with me. I want cameras monitored and the phone numbers changed. If he’s telling the truth, we’re not dealing with just one malcontent, but with who knows how many unscrupulous characters,” I said, referring to Linc’s “syndicate.” It burned my mind to call this imposter by my brother’s name, but there was no other way to refer to him.
Bill nodded. “Worth, he made a lot of accusations. I do stand on the side of the law, you know.”
“Father is dead and there’s no other person to prosecute, even if Linc was telling the truth,” I pointed out.
“That’s not what I’m talking about, and you know it,” he argued. “You’re being blackmailed into considering using your influence to fix races. That’s against the law and as much as I want to help you out, I can’t turn a blind eye to that. You understand, right?”
“I get that, Bill, but what are the options? Tell me, would you do as he asked?” I pleaded with my eyes. “I have to protect Auggie and Ford.”
Bill’s face was concerned and that made it harder on me. He was generally so casual and in control. This was his line of work. If he couldn’t figure a way out, how was I to do it?
He shook his head in bewilderment. “You’re in a bad place, Worth, there’s no two ways around that. You might consider packing up and moving.”
“And run? Run away from my father’s deeds? Run away from all that Auggie and I have built? They’d only find us. He’d find us. I don’t think that’s a solution, Bill. Maybe a delay, but not a solution. I want this ended.”
“I’m not going anywhere, although no one has asked my opinion in all this yet,” Auggie murmured. I hugged her, realizing that she was absolutely right.
“You’re right, sweetheart. This involves you as much as me. Do you have any ideas?”
She drew in a deep breath. “Well, in my opinion, no matter his background, he is blood family to you and to me. I don’t think there’s any question about that. And as badly as he behaves, we have to remember that he has reason to be jealous. So, I don’t think that aggravating him will do anything but make him meaner.”
She made an excellent point and I was surprised I hadn’t considered it myself. I was, after all, the psychologist.
“I also think that you’re taking his word on what this… this syndicate wants. It would be very hard to prove whether you’re cooperating because you’re not personally fixing any races. You’re only being asked to cooperate by using your connections. No one can prove whether you’ve done that or not.”
“Also true,” I said and even Bill was nodding his approval.
“So, I think as long as we don’t do things to antagonize him or his friends, and we don’t compromise our integrity, we’ll be fine. He’ll probably give up and go away. I don’t care about my mother, and your father is gone, so no one else is involved. I think it’s a good idea to be wary, but by over-reacting, we’re giving them exactly what they want, and the only ones to suffer will ultimately be us.”
“Auggie, darling, you should be doing my job.” I smiled and hugged her close. “I think you’ve provided the only sensible option to take at this moment. In the meantime, Bill, will you see to that security and we will go on as we always have?”
Bill brought up a point. “How will you explain a man showing up and calling himself your dead brother to your friends?”
I gave this some thought. “If asked, I’ll say he’s a distant relation, but won’t elaborate beyond that. He is a relation and he has been distant. The names — well, my parents could have liked the name and copied it. I don’t know. I’m not going to worry about such little details when anyone who hears about this will gossip and come up with their own opinion. That’s nothing new to me. They’ve been talking about me for years. Auggie, can you bear up to that?” I asked her directly.
She shrugged. “I’ve been known to raise an eyebrow or two myself, and Mother certainly took care of creating enough scandal that I’ll never live down.”
The three of us sat quietly for a few minutes, taking the time to look for weak links in the plan.
“Want me to check out his connections?” Bill asked.
“No, no leave them be. Don’t stir up a bee’s nest,” I answered and we all nodded.
“That seems to be it, then,” Bill concluded and after nodding to Auggie, shook my hand and left.
“The entire time I sat in that c
ell, there was only one thing I could think of,” I said.
“What’s that?” Auggie looked up at me, her eyes twinkling.
“This.” I took her face in my hands, kissing her deeply. Taking her by the hand, we headed upstairs to our bedroom.
I sat on the edge of the bed and positioned her between my knees. I began at her neckline, unbuttoning the soft blouse she wore and kissing my way with each new slice of skin that became exposed. I reached behind and snapped open her bra, using both hands to feed her breasts into my mouth. I sucked upon her and could taste a bit of Ford’s next meal, but it was her warmth I craved. Sliding my hands into the waistline of her pants, I slid them down, gathering her panties with them as I went. Once she was naked, I raised up only long enough to remove my own clothing, then picked her up, sitting her atop my throbbing cock.
Auggie drew in a breath and I knew that the fear and separation of the last twenty-four hours had probably made her feel abandoned.
“You’re my girl and I’m never leaving you,” I whispered, kissing her breasts and lifting her to roll with me onto the bed. I moved atop her, never withdrawing and, this time, the weight of my body drove me into her depths.
She threw her head backward and I kissed the sweet skin of her neck, nuzzling her ears, all the while moving in and out of her flooded pussy. Her hands moved downward and cradled my balls when I rose, making me insane with the building sensation. At some point, we reverted to animals, becoming a tangle of flesh and feeling. We lost our identities, our reservations and our fears for the future. There was nothing but a relentless rhythm and a desire to touch as much flesh as possible.
Rolling back upon my heels, I pulled her up until her breasts were on either side of my cheeks. I seized her ass, sliding my finger down her crack until my hand was firmly seated between her legs. Using my strength to augment her rocking motion, I pushed her down upon me. She tossed her head at the sensation. “It feels like you’ll split me!” she cried. I knew she was still sensitive after giving birth and instantly became more gentle, although I never relented a moment in the rhythm.
“I love you, Worth,” she moaned as her arms encircled me as far as she could reach and her nails ran down the length of my back. The pain was a bewitching contrast to the sensation of her pussy around my rigid cock. I could feel her begin to vibrate and pumped her faster; her orgasm coaxing mine into an explosion. We clung to one another, our perspiration mixing with the scent of orgasmic fluids as I withdrew and collapsed next to her.
Once we recovered, I picked her up and carried her into the steaming shower with me. We took turns soaping one another and I lifted her against the shower wall, entering her again. I couldn’t seem to get enough of her. Auggie finally pushed me away, pleading that she was still too tender for this much. Instead, she sucked me to completion. Clean and spent, we wrapped in towels and laid on the bed until we both fell asleep.
CHAPTER THREE
Auggie
True to his word, Bill arrived the very next day, accompanied by a van with workmen and equipment. He supervised the installation of a sophisticated, state-of-the-art security system. The workmen were so noisy that the baby couldn’t nap so I took him for a ride in the car. The rhythmic white noise of the tires on the roadway surface lulled him to sleep and I took this opportunity to do some thinking. It was a sunny day and the smell of baby paraphernalia filled the car, making it feel like a little slice of heaven.
I knew that Worth was playing down the significance of Linc’s arrival and the impact it would have on our lives. First of all, as Worth’s older brother, he was theoretically in line to inherit the LaViere fortune when Mrs. LaViere, Worth’s mother, passed on. Then I realized that Linc was not her biological son — in fact, she had never even met him — and would most likely leave things to Worth. This could only serve to anger Linc even further.
Then it came to my own mother, who, at this moment, had no idea he existed. She and I never had a close mother/daughter relationship, even before I learned of all her transgressions and how badly she treated Dad, whom I idolized. It occurred to me then that maybe Dad was just the person I could talk to. I headed in the direction of his farm.
Dad was outside when I arrived. He was raking twigs and winter leaves in the backyard. His face lit up in a smile when he saw me, his eyebrows rising in delight when he saw his grandson. “Auggie!” he called, waving. He met me at the back door, gave me a kiss on the forehead and took Ford from my arms. “I can’t believe how quickly he’s growing,” he marveled, rocking the baby back and forth. “Come in, come in. It’s been lonely and I’m in the mood for a good chat,” he said, holding the door open.
I took Ford back and said, “Well, it’s a good chat you’re going to get, Dad,” and headed toward the kitchen. I’d brought the baby carrier in with me and laid Ford in it near the window where the early Spring sun was streaming in.
“Is Carlos okay?” Dad asked, referring to my Thoroughbred who had boarded with him until one of our own barns was finally completed. “Have you been able to ride him yet?” he asked, referring to Ford’s recent birth.
“He’s great, Dad. I just walked him around a bit. It’s gotten hectic and I need the exercise, so I’ll be out on him more often now. I can’t wait until I can teach Ford to ride,” I said, getting out the makings of hot chocolate for us.
“So, what’s stuck in your craw, Auggie?” he asked. Dad knew me only too well.
“I figured you’d pick up on it. Now, promise you won’t get upset about this, but there isn’t much I can do at this point. You’ll hear about it eventually.” I set out two mugs and stirred the milk warming in the pan.
“Sounds serious,” Dad commented, leaning over to check on Ford sleeping in his carrier. “Have anything to do with the baby?”
“Not that one,” I said mysteriously and carried the mugs to the table. I sighed and related the events of the previous few days to him. He alternately frowned and cocked his head in confusion. When I was done, our chocolates were gone and I was waiting for his comments. His forehead was wrinkled and I guessed he was processing all the variations of how to handle it.
“So, you’re telling me that this Linc is really Worth’s older half-brother, which also makes him your half-brother and your mother’s son, do I have this straight? The boy in the grave is unrelated?”
“That’s pretty much how it works out,” I said, pushing my hair behind my ears so I could pick up Ford and hold him. I needed his sweet baby smell to calm the uproar that was now controlling my gut. “Dad, if Worth doesn’t cooperate with him, we could all be in danger. If Worth does cooperate with him, it will be illegal and will definitely, at the least, ruin us. I told Worth that we should hold off doing anything. That we should just appear to cooperate but not really get involved.”
“I’m not sure if that’s possible,” Dad said, picking up the mugs and rinsing them at the sink while I rocked my son. “That would be walking a fine line, to be sure. Are you going to tell your mother?” His face was creased in a deep frown, but he tried to hide it from me by looking out the kitchen window. I noticed for the first time how lined his face had become. The sunlight was exposing his age.
“Dad, are you okay?” I asked, concerned.
“Sure, right as rain,” he assured me.
I wasn’t so convinced. “You look tired.” My heart was heavy. Worth and I had exposed my mother’s infidelity, triggering their divorce. Perhaps it would have been kinder to keep him innocent of what she’d done.
“Well, things are different, Auggie, I can’t lie to you. I do talk to her from time to time. I check in to make sure she’s doing okay. Even though I enacted the terms of the prenuptial, I still don’t want her to suffer. After all, she was my wife for a great many years and I loved her. Still do, as a matter of fact, although that may be difficult for you to accept.”
“Isn’t up to me to judge that, Dad. Whatever you and Mother have between you is your business. You’ve never told me what to do, an
d I won’t do that to you, either. I know I haven’t been out to see you much, but with the baby, well, I’m sure you understand.”
“You didn’t answer me,” he said. “I asked if you’re you going to tell your mother about all this?
“Should I? I mean, not me personally. She’s not too happy with me and I certainly don’t care whether she’s mad or not. But you could tell her, Dad, if you’re still talking to her.”
He lifted a shoulder. “What difference would it make?”
“Well, Linc knows she’s alive and living around here somewhere. It’s only a matter of time until he tries to look her up. I think I’d much rather he find her cooperating with us rather than wanting to kill us, if you get my drift.”
“How in the hell did this happen?” he lamented. “You never did anything to deserve this mess, Auggie. Not you or Worth. And here you are, the ones in the greatest danger.”
“We’ll be fine, Dad. Worth has a security system being installed right now and there will be someone watching the house day and night. I’m a little worried about you. He’s liable to come around here looking for Mother,” I pointed out.
He bristled and stood straighter. “I’m not afraid of him, Auggie. This doesn’t involve me, one way or another. If you want me to talk to your mother about it, I will. Don’t expect her to run to your side to hold your hand, though. She never was very good at that sort of thing.”
“I get that, Dad. She set the mood for our relationship my entire life. I’m only sorry that she betrayed you.”
Dad chuckled, but it was not a humorous sound. “Some people are just made that way. How about Worth’s mother?”
I thought it curious that he asked about her, although I knew they’d had dinner together a few times. I’d thought it was more of a shared grief, but perhaps it was more than that.
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