by Sam Crescent
She groaned. “We’ve been through this. There’s no way.”
“You don’t know all the facts yet,” he said. “Don’t start thinking we’re over until we know more.”
“We’re yo-yoing back and forth and I don’t get it, Drake. Why can’t we just accept that this is it for us?” she asked.
Drake gripped the steering wheel even tighter. He knew he’d fucked up by trying to push her away and he saw the error of what he’d done. Now, he had a way to fix it, or at least he thought he did.
“Can we just hold off all conversation of us being completely over? At least until I tell you the truth about everything?” he asked.
“Sure, I don’t mind.”
He nodded. He drove for another half an hour, coming to a stop at a diner. He took a deep breath, wanting to feel like this was it. This was their chance to finally be together. He hoped Pru would know what to do.
“Drake, are you okay?” she asked.
“I’m fine. I just … you know, I have to deal with everything.” He released a breath and stepped out of the car. He didn’t want to tell her straightaway how much hope he had that she would be able to find a solution for both of them.
When he was at Pru’s side, he took her hand, and together, they walked hand-in-hand toward the diner. He took the lead, finding them a nice quiet booth to eat in.
They were served within seconds but it wasn’t a very busy diner.
“What are you having?” the waitress asked.
They both ordered burgers with extra fries.
Pru tucked her hair behind her ear and he was caught by how beautiful she looked. “This is a nice place.”
“I guess.” He glanced around, not really paying attention to the diner.
“Are you going to tell me what all of this is about?” she asked.
“Fine. Fine. It’s a little hard to wrap your head around.”
“Try me.”
“You remember my dad?” he asked.
“Yeah, it’s kind of hard not to. I seem to recall he didn’t have a whole lot of nice things to say to me.” She shrugged.
“I’m so sorry about that.”
“It’s not your fault and you shouldn’t, you know, be worried about him.”
“You don’t have to defend him to me.”
“This is all a little out of my comfort zone.”
He took hold of her hands. “He’s not my dad,” he said.
“What? But isn’t that the whole point of you being you?”
“I know. My dad can’t have kids. I only found it out recently. He’s firing blanks.”
“Firing blanks? You mean he can’t have kids?”
“None. Not one. I’m not his son.”
“But, wait. You look so much alike. How can this be possible? Are you sure they’re not lying to you? This could be another of their tricks.”
“They’re not lying.”
“How do you know?”
“My dad is, in fact, my brother. My grandfather slept with my mother as he knew without a doubt he was not firing blanks.”
Drake waited for his words to sink in and when they did, the look of shock on her face was priceless.
“Wow,” she said.
“Yeah.”
“What does this mean?”
“I don’t know. I was hoping you could tell me.”
“I don’t understand. How can I tell you anything? I don’t have a clue what this all means.”
They stopped talking as the waitress placed their food in front of them.
Pru said thank you to the woman and Drake immediately did the same. There were times he forgot about simple manners.
“What are you thinking right now?” Drake asked.
“I don’t know. How are you feeling? I mean, that’s a lot to take in for anyone. How are you handling it? Are you even handling it at all?”
Drake loved her concern, craved it even. He’d been without anyone caring for a very long time.
Neither of them reached for their food. He wasn’t hungry, not yet.
“I don’t know how to handle it, in all honesty. I mean, I know my parents weren’t the best kind of role models, you know? They were shady as fuck, but I don’t know what to think of what they’re doing now. I mean, how am I supposed to deal with this shit?” He sat back, staring at his food that was now going cold.
“What do you want to do?”
“I honestly don’t fucking know. What am I supposed to do?”
“I don’t understand. If you don’t know what to do, why did you bring me here?”
He looked across the table at her. He smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I don’t know. I guess I hoped that … you’d be able to find something that meant we could use it against them.”
“Oh,” she said.
“Yeah, I’m not a good kid. Never have been.”
“Drake, you’re far from a kid.” She rubbed at her temples.
“Can you do anything with the information I’ve given you? Anything at all?”
“I’m trying to figure it out. I’m not a genius. I mean, what is it you’re hoping to achieve?” she asked.
He picked up a fry, stuck it in his mouth, and chewed on it. “Finding some way for us to be together. Don’t you see that?”
She released a breath but didn’t eat any food. “I don’t know how finding out your dad is your brother and not really your dad is going to work. By law, he’s the one in charge of the company, unless something happens to him. But wouldn’t it go to your mom?”
“No, it has to go to the male line. It’s in the will.”
“But if he gives it to her in the will, wouldn’t that change the entire will?”
Drake sat back. “No, he can’t do that.”
“Why?”
“There are terms and conditions when it comes to passing the business and the entire wealth onto a woman.”
“Am I going to be pissed when I hear them?”
“I don’t know. Do you want to hear them?”
“May as well.” She finally picked up a fry and started to eat it.
“Okay, the only way any of the fortune or inheritance could be passed onto a woman was if the only child they had was a female. They have to keep on trying to get a son, a male heir.”
“Wow, your family is very sexist. Why don’t they want women to have the inheritance? Do they not think a woman can handle a good company?”
“They can’t keep the name.”
“Huh?”
“When men and women marry. The title changes.”
“But they can hyphen the name, or they don’t even have to take it at all. Men can take a woman’s name now, I’m sure of it. Your family has some very outdated views.”
“They’d have to find a man willing enough to take a woman’s name.”
“You think love won’t do it?” she asked.
“Clearly love has never been tested and then you’ve got to worry about gold diggers.”
“I see your point. If love won’t get them to change their name, a cushy lifestyle will. I see.” She shrugged. “I don’t know if this will help you at all, Drake. In the eyes of the law, they’re still in charge, and will be for a long time.”
“And you don’t want me to kill them?”
She rolled her eyes and he laughed. “You’re not going to kill them. It wouldn’t work, and you know it. There’s nothing you can do but wait it out. I’m sorry.”
“What about if I show them to be incompetent? Is there a way for me to get away from them?”
“Emancipation is a real deal, Drake. I’m not a lawyer and I don’t know how it all works.” She took his hand, locking their fingers together. “We’re not going to win this. We’re not going to be together.” She pulled his hand close, pressing a kiss to his knuckles. “And we’ve got to accept it.”
“I don’t want to.”
“I know, but it doesn’t change the fact we have to.” She pulled away and he made no move to hold her hand aga
in.
There was no point.
He’d been grasping at straws.
There was no future for them.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Everything happens for a reason
Graduation wasn’t far off, and with it, studying, college applications, and just life. Pru spent all of her available time trying to make a decision between staying in town or leaving for good.
There was nothing but her parents to hold her back.
They loved her, she knew that without a doubt, but … she wanted more. Her mother had told her not to make a decision based on staying with them, but for herself.
At a fast food restaurant, she took a huge bite out of her burger, closing her eyes as she tried to think. Every time she looked at the two applications, the college in town, and one out of state, she always hesitated, and it wasn’t a good feeling.
What did Drake want to do? Did he have any plans for his future, or was it to follow in his parents’ path rather than his own?
Chewing her food, she stared across the mall and watched as people passed by. She’d finished her shift an hour ago, and now she was bored. The only place to go was to head home.
“I have to say, I figured my son would have more class than to go for a girl like you, but I guess there’s no accounting for taste.”
She paused, looking up to see Drake’s father standing beside her. He stood out like a sore thumb. He wore an expensive-looking suit and sneered at everyone around him. She didn’t know why he’d come to a place he clearly despised.
“Mr. Connor, what are you doing here?” she asked, sitting up. She didn’t want to be alone with this man.
“You and I both have our reasons for what we do, and well, they kind of mesh right now.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I don’t know what kind of hold you have on my son, but I want you to let him go.”
She stared at him, confused. “I don’t have any hold on him.”
The older man raised an eyebrow.
She looked around the dinner hall but no one was paying any attention to them.
“I’ll make this simple.” He pulled out an envelope and slid it across the table. “I want you gone. Your family as well. I’ve already paid a visit to them. They made the right choice.”
“What is this?”
“A new start. A chance to find a way for yourself without anyone present,” he said.
She lifted up the envelope and sure enough, there was a check inside, along with some cash. She didn’t bother to count the money.
Closing the envelope, she looked at him.
“You can go to any college you want. I’ll pay for it.”
She stared at him, not really sure what to say. The check was for a huge amount. More than she would ever need. “You’d be willing to send me to college, pay for it, and all this money as well?”
“I knew the temptation would be too good for you to resist.”
“I didn’t say I was going to take this.”
“If you know what is good for you, you’ll take it.” The threat was very clear in his voice.
She looked around the mall again. No one paid them any attention and she couldn’t believe no one was watching.
“Your parents have already accepted their deal. This is for you, and there is a time limit on it, so you might want to consider what it is you want out of life.”
“You’re trying to pay me off,” she said. “I’m not my parents.”
“Your parents know some sense. This thing between you and Drake, it’s not going to work out. I don’t even have to be here right now, offering you money and a chance at a life. I could be doing a hell of a lot of other things to occupy my time.”
“Then why aren’t you?” she asked. She was growing tired of people telling her what she should do with her life. This was her life and she’d do whatever the hell she wanted.
“Why aren’t I what?”
“Why are you wasting your time on me if I’m not important? What could I possibly do to you? You’ve proven your worth time and time again.” She sighed, staring down at the envelope.
“Because you and I both know Drake isn’t going to give up without a fight and I’m hoping you’ve got more sense than him.”
“He wants what he wants. You can’t be annoyed with him because of that.” She stared at his father and wondered what else she could say to make him see reason. Sitting back, she folded her arms, waiting.
“Drake’s life is planned out. We have a woman picked out for him already. You don’t belong in it but in order for you to accept that money, I need you, we need you, to break his heart.”
“What happens if he walks away?” she asked.
He stared at her without saying a word.
“I know you’d set out to destroy your son, making it impossible for him to have a life of his own, but what will really happen?” She was growing tired of all the secrets and lies. It was boring keeping up with them. What happened to living like normal kids when things didn’t happen or confuse people? Why couldn’t they go back to that?
She rubbed at her temples before giving his father her undivided attention.
“You know the truth of his heritage. You know I’m not able to father children,” he said.
“How do you know that I know that?” she asked.
“I may not have fathered Drake but I have raised him. In a fashion. I’m guessing there is nothing that boy hasn’t done that he hasn’t told you. Anyway, if Drake walks away from the family, if he cuts himself out, then there is no longer an heir to pass the wealth onto. The will has stipulations, Prudence. In order for the next available heir to inherit, he must be part of the company in some way. They have to have a direct link.”
“But if Drake has no direct link, it doesn’t stop you and your wife living in comfort.” She didn’t see the big deal.
“I want you out of the picture.”
“Why? You’ve got everything you could ever need. I don’t see why you need anything from me.” She stared at his father—no, brother. “Unless … as your brother, Drake is entitled to half of the company already.”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She saw how uncomfortable he was and knew instantly she had hit on something. “That’s it, isn’t it?”
“You would be wise to take my offer.” He got to his feet. “I suggest you think about what kind of a future you want. One where you’re the boss of it, or one where you’re having to take orders.”
Within a matter of seconds, he was gone and she stared at the envelope. Could it be possible that all this time Drake had assumed he was set to inherit when the real truth was he could already be entitled to half of the company, which was why his parents—or brother and mother—were trying to control him? Could it really be that simple?
She didn’t want to think about it as being so easy.
Could it be easy?
Licking her dry lips, she picked up the envelope and grabbed her cell phone. The only way to deal with this problem now was to call Drake and have him meet her, so they could both figure this out.”
“Hello, I was hoping you’d call.”
“Who are you with right now?” she asked.
“The guys.”
“I need to meet you at a private place. Do you know someplace?” She looked around the mall, hoping no one was paying her attention.
The last thing she wanted was to draw attention from a spy. This was all too much right now. She felt sick to her stomach. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself, but she felt excited, giddy, and so many other emotions she couldn’t even begin to describe.
Leaving the mall, she made her way out toward the cabs, hailing one down and giving him the directions to where Drake said to meet him. It was off the beaten track, and the driver wouldn’t go down the forest-lined driveway when they got to it.
Climbing out of the car, she paid the driver and after he advised her to give up, because the
house up ahead could be haunted, he left. She walked up the long driveway. It really did look like it had come straight out of a Halloween movie.
When she got closer to the clearing, she saw Drake’s car and started to run. He sat on the porch steps of the house in question, which looked like it was falling apart. The moment he saw her, he got up and rushed toward her.
She threw her arms around him and smiled.
“Not that I don’t appreciate your call, but I didn’t think we were going to do this,” he said.
“I have so much to tell you.” She caught him up to speed on his father’s visit including the payment he’d given her, which she handed him back to him. “You’re going to need this.”
“Why?”
“You need to have someone check out your father’s will. If your father wanted the company to remain in the Connor name, and he was willing to sleep with your mother to achieve it, don’t you think he would have taken all the extra measures to keep it secure?” she asked. “Like, giving half of the company to you?”
“But wouldn’t I have been … told about this?”
“Drake, you only knew a little while ago that you were his brother. He could have it worded that it could be divided equally between his son or sons.”
“But, why wouldn’t anyone tell me?”
“Because no one knew. It’s why your parents are so determined to keep you in their own little world. To control you.”
“You think it could be as simple as getting the will read again?”
“I honestly don’t know. I could be wrong, but why else would they be trying to buy me off? It makes no sense. I’m not important. I lost count of the number of times they told me that. Remember? I mean nothing to them.” She shrugged. “What do you have to lose?”
She shoved her hands into her jeans, waiting. Glancing behind him, she looked at the house. It really needed a lot of work.
“What is this place?” she asked when he still hadn’t said anything.
“It belonged to my uncle.”
“Your uncle?”
“On my mother’s side. She had a brother. One she tried to disown. He was a great guy. He didn’t want the money or the prestige, the title that came with his wealth. Before he was cut out of the inheritance, he got this place. There was a time it was amazing. Everything in pristine condition.”