The Twin Contract (The Contract Series Book 1)

by Ceeree Fields

  Brianna's eyes rounded. "I never thought to do that."

  She was too cute to resist. He leaned over and took a quick kiss. "No worries; that's why you have me. I'm a master of quick escapes. Now, let the games begin."

  He didn't have any problem remembering the training his parents had instilled in him. The second his leather-enclosed feet hit the pavement, he had become the easy-going, gregarious character his father used to play.

  The back garden was like many he'd seen throughout his younger life. Roses clung to trellises, large white tents with gauzy cream-colored netting tied to the poles to keep bugs out while they ate lunch. One tent already had the netting released. On closer inspection, it held several tables of finger foods and a selection of drinks.

  Brianna passed her purse to an attendant and took a number so she could retrieve it later. He placed a hand on the small of her back as they stepped into the back garden.

  Tendrils of dread tightened his skin and worked their way down his spine to settle in the pit of his stomach like a heavy weight as the past and the present merged.

  The garden could have been a mirror image from the ones he had been carted to growing up. The same manicured lawn and even the plethora of flowers he never remembered the names of.

  However, he could name the designers for each of the watches, could tell if the stones in each set of jewelry were real, and could dredge up enough stories to pass for one of them. All of his parents' lessons came to him as if they were next to him, whispering in his ear. His one fear was coming to pass that he would lose himself to this world again.

  Brianna's slim fingers laced with his, and he gripped hers like he was drowning, and she was his one lifeline.

  "Are you okay?" Her breath ghosted across his ear and dragged him from his dark memories.

  Was he all right? He had no idea. Could he survive a few hours of this without losing himself to his past? Again, he didn't know but meeting her clouded gaze, he knew he would damn well try. He needed to focus on her and watch for Christopher. With those two goals in mind, he felt his equilibrium return, and the ghosts from his past finally rebury.

  He gave her hand a quick squeeze and drew up a smile. "I'm fine. Let's get to mingling, shall we?"

  She led the way as he prayed, he didn't slide back into the skin he had worn in the past. Back then, the lies fell easily from his tongue. The lessons on how to bend any situation to his advantage flooded into him as his past and present merged.

  The dance of compliments given, flattery over a watch or broach. A discussion of wine and various vineyards and of course, the 'do you know' game to see what connections would link them. He was a master at all of them.

  He didn't remember the individual conversations; instead, he worked the crowd on autopilot, allowing Brianna to move them through the crowd and joining in when it was appropriate. Jackson knew the game and was well versed in how to play it.

  Until Mildred stepped to them with a smile. "I need to steal her for just a few minutes. A friend of mine adopted a puppy for her son, and it's stopped eating."

  "Okay." Playing the dutiful boyfriend, Jackson pressed a kiss to the back of Brianna's hand before releasing it.

  Then he turned back to the group they had been a part of and grinned when he heard them mention the upcoming car show. "Brianna and I have tickets to that next week."

  "I'm bringing two of my cars to show, a Rolls and Bentley, but I'm not sure about leaving them there overnight," Herbert stated, a portly man with friendly eyes. "You work with the Sheriff's department, are they going to patrol there or will they have a person actually on the grounds?"

  "Your cars will be safe." Jackson sipped from his flute of orange juice. He had followed his parents' teachings on not getting drunk while on a con job and had immediately asked for a flute of orange juice instead of the mimosas the other guests were drinking. "We've got two deputies assigned for round the clock foot patrol and others who will ride by on their rounds."

  "That's good…"

  He listened with half an ear to the debate of what cars they hoped to bid on while he took in the rest of the crowd, looking for Christopher so Jackson could keep an eye on the man.

  But his mind continued to wander to Brianna, and he wondered what was keeping her. He scanned the press of people. Not spotting her straightaway, he excused himself. His jaw ground the longer it took to find her. It wasn't until he headed toward the house that he glimpsed her just as the guests were moving toward the dining tent.

  Her face so pale he worried she would pass out. Growling, he pushed through the last of the guests and saw her cornered by a broad-shouldered man with blond hair.

  As he drew closer, he heard a woman call the man's name 'Christopher.'

  Jackson pulled on an affable mask, hoping to diffuse the situation without resorting to violence. He slapped the man on the back, drawing Christopher's attention. "You must be Christopher." He turned, placing himself between Christopher and Brianna.

  "Look, man, I'm trying to talk to my girlfriend, so if you could move." Christopher stepped to the right, expecting the move Jackson mirrored it keeping Brianna tucked safely behind him.

  Two more times, he tried to get around Jackson.

  Christopher's cheeks reddened, and he snarled, "Get the fuck off."

  Jackson watched as the last guest disappeared into the dining tent, the second the netting dropped, his easy-going demeanor dropped. "You need to move along, boy, because Bri is not your girlfriend."

  "The hell you say," Christopher's runny blue eyes narrowed. "She's not only my girlfriend, Briony, and I will be engaged next week."

  Jackson swore the guy was high, but would Christopher be dumb enough to show up to an event drugged out of his mind with so many witnesses?

  Brianna's squeak distracted Jackson as her fingers clutched the back of his blazer. She dipped around him and growled. "I am not marrying you."

  Christopher's frown morphed into a malicious grin. "Yes, you are. Our mothers are picking out the colors tomorrow. It's all set. We get engaged, and then our companies merge after the wedding."

  "The hell? Brianna can make her own decisions," Jackson snarled.

  Christopher snorted. "Look, I get it. She's a whore who sells her ass to the highest bidder, and you want in on that gravy train."

  Jackon's hands fisted as he prepared to deck the guy, but Brianna pushed by him, her face red with anger. "I'm not a whore you drugged-out asshole—"

  "I haven't taken any drugs since your sister went missing. And you are a whore, your parents pay for everything. Then when they order you to show yourself, you prance around at these parties helping your dad schmooze and grease his palms." Christopher's fingers fiddled with the buttons on his jacket, unbuttoning and rebuttoning; the more agitated he became, the more he fidgeted. He leaned close to her and in a loud whisper, stated, "And now, you'll do the same for me when we get married." The smell of alcohol heavy on his breath.

  Enraged, Jackson readied to punch the asshole, but he aborted the move when Brianna lunged at Christopher. Jackson automatically flung an arm out to block her from getting closer to the unstable man.

  "I'll marry you when hell freezes over," Brianna snapped her body, pushing past Jackson.

  Before he could pull her away, Christopher had his meaty fingers wrapped around her slender wrist.

  "Unhand my granddaughter this instant."

  A steel-haired woman that barely reached Jackson's shoulder came to rest on Brianna's other side, sandwiching her between two allies. Glancing at the older woman, he got the sense of what Brianna would look like as she aged. Evelynn Spencer was graceful and held an air of command. Which was probably why Christopher dropped Brianna's wrist like it was a heated poker.

  "Mrs. Spencer, Reginald and Bianca have promised Briony to me—"

  "Save it, you spineless weasel, we all know this is Brianna. Just as we all know, you enjoy tormenting her when she can't defend herself." Brianna's grandmother narrowed her icy
gaze on the man, and Jackson was glad he was not in Christopher's shoes. Not that Christopher knew to be terrified. Nope, he was either too stupid or over-confident. Jackson thought it was a bit of both plus the alcohol.

  "My granddaughter will marry who she chooses, and the last time I checked, she was dating this nice young man." She reached behind Brianna and patted Jackson's arm. "As for that merger, it will happen over my dead, decaying body. And since I'm in charge of the company, that will be the thirtieth of never. Now, I'm taking my granddaughter and her young man off for a visit. I suggest you make yourself scarce."

  Evelynn spun toward the entrance to the house. Christopher slapped a hand on her arm. "Look, you old bat—"

  Before Jackson could intervene, Evelynn flipped Christopher over her hip and on the ground gasping in pain. The judo move was so fast Jackson would have never believed Evelynn had done it if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes.

  She leaned over with a toothy-smile. "Just because I look old, does not mean I'm defenseless, and unlike my granddaughter, I can and will fight back." Evelynn spotted two guards moving in their direction. She pointed at Christopher's prone figure. "Escort him off the premises, his parents as well. And tell my son and his wife I want to see them in the study immediately."

  "Yes, ma'am," the guard on the left said while the second murmured into his walky-talky.

  Jackson leaned in and whispered to Brianna. "Your grandmother kicks ass."

  A flush heated Brianna's cheeks as she smiled and nodded.

  Jackson watched the two burly men with brush cuts pick Christopher up between them and march him away. Christopher's rage-filled gaze locked on Brianna as he mouthed 'you'll pay' when Evelynn's back was turned.

  The threat made his gut clench with unease as he remembered Andy's and Mildred's warning about painting targets on their backs.

  "Young man, are you coming?" Evelynn asked, hovering in the doorway.

  He hurried into the extravagant home. Clearing his throat, Jackson stopped. "Look, this will probably be a discussion of the contract, right?"

  "Yes," Evelynn said before Brianna could open her mouth.

  "If you want me there, I'll come. But we both know your father will shut down any contract talk if I am there." He raked a hand through his hair. "But I think if I'm not there, you'll get more out of him, and if he balks, then you have your grandmother to rile him up."

  Evelynn's eyes sparkled with mirth. "I do not rile people up, Deputy. I simply point out the things I want changed."

  "Uh-huh." Jackson winked at Evelynn. "You say tomhato, I say tomato."

  She laughed and clasped Brianna's arm. "I like this one, dear."

  "Me, too, Grandmother. "Brianna grinned as she faced Jackson again. "You're right. Why don't you go with Ms. Williams, and I'll come to find you in the kitchen."

  Jackson pressed a quick kiss on her forehead. "Deal." Turning to Ms. Williams, he gave her the rakish grin that got him into the most trouble. "I sure hope there are cookies somewhere in that kitchen of yours."

  Ms. Williams blushed and tittered. "Get on with you. There might just be as long as you tell me what you and Miss Brianna's been up to."

  "Lead the way, Ms. Williams, and I'll tell you all about our dates." Jackson followed the woman, knowing Brianna would be safe with her grandmother watching over her.

  Chapter Eight

  Grandmother stormed into the same library Brianna had first met Jackson in all those weeks ago. How much her life had changed between that meeting and this one.

  As Brianna settled into a chair in the farthest corner of the room, her parents swept in, their confused gazes latched onto Evelynn, not acknowledging Brianna at all, which was just fine with her. She would keep quiet and let Grandmother take the lead for now.

  Not one to mince words, Grandmother narrowed her gaze on her son. "Do either of you want to explain to me why that Christopher boy thinks he's marrying Briony?"

  Brianna was glad Grandmother had kept up the pretense with Bianca in the room. She wanted to focus on this Christopher mess first before tackling the rest.

  Bianca beamed, oblivious to the danger she was in or the line she had crossed. "It will be a great merger of our two powerful—"

  "No." Grandmother cut her off for the first time in over a decade.

  "Mother, I'll need their connections if something happens to you."

  Evelynn snorted. "Son, you've been out of the business for years, which pushed me to look elsewhere for a replacement." Her eyes rested on Bianca before returning to Reginald. "You made your choice ten years ago, and I used every bit of influence to make that decision a reality. Then I had to move on. So, if something happens to me, Royston receives the majority shares in the company, and you, Bianca, and Briony get a lesser percentage."

  A quiet rap on the library door shattered the deafening silence the declaration had brought forth. Bianca released a frustrated growl and jabbed a finger at Reginald. "Talk some sense into your mother. I'm returning to the party before we're missed."

  Bianca stomped from the room, taking most of the tension with her.

  The second the door closed, Brianna knew the gloves were off. Her father's face was etched with anger. Grandmother's expression was set in resolute lines, the same expression she had worn when talking Brianna into the damnable contract.

  "I had often wondered after you married, who you would choose when the chips were down," Evelynn growled. "And it was Bianca as it has always been. So I had to make decisions with you out of the equation." She held up an imperious hand. "I want the company, my grandfather and father started together. The one, my husband, took the reins of and made thrive even during the depression, to be hope for future generations. People depend on the health and prosperity of our company to feed and clothe their families. They need their jobs to provide a home for their children. And I refused to sit idly by while you give your full attention to that woman and crumbs to the company. Especially after you all but drained the coffers while catering to the whims of Bianca and Briony."

  "They're my family." Reginald's gaze spit fire.

  "So am I. So is Brianna. But you chose two women who almost brought us to ruin, and I will not allow it to happen again." Grandmother's face reddened, and her cold mask slipped to show the rage behind it.

  Seeing that this argument had been brewing for years, she cut them both off before their emotions deteriorated to the point they forgot about the matter at hand, and that was Christopher, not the money.

  Brianna stood and cleared her throat. She met her father's gaze head-on. "You two can argue about how the company deteriorated in a minute." She pointed to her father. "I won't marry Christopher. I'll abide by the contract, though I think it's not legal since Grandmother signed one, and I signed a whole different one. However, I don't want you tied to anything in my life after this mess is settled, so the contract and NDA will be met, however, I will not marry that man, and nothing you do or say can convince me—"

  Reginald frowned. "It would be good—"

  "No. I might be your pretend daughter. Hell, I might even have to answer to my bitch of a sister's name, but I will not marry that rich, entitled asshole." Brianna stepped into Reginald's space. "And if you try to force me, I'll close the contract tomorrow. Even if it means walking away from my farm, my sanctuary, and my home." She would do it too. It would break her heart, and she might cry during the follow-through, but she would give up her entire life before ever allowing Christopher to touch her.

  Reginald put a palm on her arm. "Now, hon. Don't act rashly—"

  "Don't touch me." Brianna yanked her arm away from him.

  "Give it up, Reginald. No matter how much you want her to marry the man. And no matter how much you want me to sign over the company, neither will be happening." Evelynn gently pushed between Brianna and her father. "You're my son, and I love you. I have given you everything you wanted. I've made life as easy as possible." Evelynn pointed to Brianna. "I even convinced Brianna to pretend to be
Briony, all so you could be happy. However, you have failed us. You promised you would get Bianca counseling, and you haven't. You've played fast and loose with the contract, swapping out the one I agreed to for another version she and I ended up signing. All because of Bianca. You've let her rule everything—"

  "Mother, she's fine as long as Brianna is Brion—"

  "No," Evelynn's sharp tone cut him off. "Brianna has given you her notice. In five weeks, this entire house of cards you built will crumble, and I won't be able to help you."

  "What? Why?" Reginald stumbled back a step, clasping his chest. "You know how many miscarriages Bianca had before carrying the twins to full term—"

  Brianna froze. Miscarriages? She hadn't known. Not that it would have made a difference, but if her mother was so distraught over having children, why would she throw away Brianna?

  Grandmother's derisive snort cut through Brianna's circling thoughts. "You and Bianca were blessed with two children, and yet, you only favored the one." She jabbed a finger in Reginald's chest. "So, don't talk to me about missing children. You never took an interest in Brianna. Never saw the brilliance in her, and because I sided with you, I lost pieces of her as well."

  Reginald's eyes widened as they landed on Brianna. He took a step toward her, and she matched it by taking one back. She didn't want his hands on her. She was barely holding it together as it was.

  "We didn't know what to do with you. You were so different from us." His eyes held guilt and grief. "Briony, we understood. And when we didn't, she was vocal in telling us how we screwed up. We always knew where we stood with her. You were a mystery."

  Hurt that they had ignored her because she didn't whine enough, Brianna shrugged. "Guess I should have been the squeaky wheel."

  Reginald rubbed a trembling hand over his face. "No, we should have been better parents. And the past ten years, I've only been worried about keeping Bianca's sanity in place."

  "Which is why I expect you to get her back into therapy, Son. We need to figure out how to break it to her because Briony deserves to be buried under her own name."