Legal Legacy (Surrendering Charlotte Chronicles) (6 page)

They barhopped at night and slept through their days and Mia was only a small bit irritated in light of his impotence. The Rhodes Ranch family was worth nearly
as many billions as her father and Cuatro was a decent companion, intelligent, good-looking and not altogether dull. It made it easier actually, Cuatro’s inability to sustain an erection even when he sobered up long enough to get one. How he managed to write an entire novel was a mystery, he was flat out addicted to prescription drugs and alcohol which had left his brain a chaotic cesspool. Mia was enjoying her time with him until he carelessly remarked that her infatuation with her brother would add a great deal of fire to his novel. She told him if that information ever came to light she would end his drug and alcohol problem once and for all or maybe just see to it that he and his limp dick were no longer attached to each other.

Matilda Rhodes was barely back from her honeymoon to presidential hopeful
Jordan Sullivan when she arrived in New York to attend the mayor’s birthday party. Jordan had insisted that she put in an appearance at the geriatric soiree at that Plaza Hotel and that was where a grand scheme began to take shape in her mind. She had met up with Cuatro and Mia and brought them along to the party, now they were sitting in a relatively quiet corner of the Oak Room when she heard the name ‘Atticus Hale’ announced as the karaoke singer. She and Mia had snapped to attention as quick as could be and there he was, the object of their passion and Cuatro’s hatred. He was singing and somehow he actually sounded good and looked sexy as hell, except that he was all starry-eyed over that far too young and seemingly innocent model. Mia and Matilda exchanged glances and it was imminently clear that Skyler was a solid detriment to any plans they might have for Atticus.

Matilda
was getting awfully close to thirty and Jordan was adamant that she waste no time in getting pregnant to secure the women’s vote. Presidents weren’t elected if they didn’t have at least one child, it was a solid fact. A baby and the Rhodes Ranch money and influence was an almost certain guarantee of a winning campaign for the ambitious young couple. But Jordan was sterile, he was born that way, a fluke of nature the doctors said, just one of those unfortunate things.

Matilda wasn’
t keen on ruining her body with pregnancy in the first place and she most certainly was not going to degrade the lineage of the Rhodes family by perusing a common sperm bank. The idea of some sub-par jerkoff’s ‘emission’ being squirted into her body by her gynecologist made her nauseous to say the least. It was about as appealing as propositioning the homeless man who lived on her block and was obsessed with leaving his scandalously filthy dick hanging out.

No, she hadn’t had to think twice about a suitable sperm donor and there would be nothing cold and clinical about her baby’s conception. It would be easy enough to lure Atticus away from
that skinny little pixie faced model, the problem was his neurotic insistence on wearing a condom. Still… where there was a will there was a way and he never had to know a thing about it.

Mia
had her own ideas about what she envisioned herself doing with Atticus. Months of intense therapy was a waste of her time and her father’s money. She’d argued with the steady stream of psychiatrists who sat across from her droning on about the horrors of incest, but what did they know? You didn’t have to look too far back in history to find out that royalty indulged in that shit without batting an eyelash. Therapy
had
made her stop and analyze her deepest feelings for Atticus, however. She hated to admit it but maybe her love for him wasn’t so much a physical issue, maybe it had something to do with her need to be loved and accepted by the most important member of her family.

A
nd then there was Cuatro who felt he had a serious bone to pick with Hadley’s brother. Atticus had told him to get over his ‘infatuation’ with Hadley and then he’d hit him in the fucking eye in the middle of a fucking bar and he was just supposed to let that shit slide? No way, his book would be published within a year and the entire Hale family could kiss his ass. It might be a bit of an embellished tale of two wickedly erotic women who left a man’s heart shredded so that all he could do was search for a razor blade to slit his own wrists, but oh well. Hadley was famous
now
but just wait until next year, when his book made its debut, she would be infamous. In the meantime he decided to entertain himself with a girl who was completely different from Hadley Hale. Skyler Thomas seemed to have a thing for billionaires and Cuatro might be lacking in some areas, but his was the wealthiest family in Texas. Atticus looked like he was seriously invested in the girl but then again, Atticus was frivolous with women. It would serve him right to lose his girlfriend to the man he had kept Hadley from loving. Atticus Hale needed to be taught a lesson, as the cowboys down in Texas liked to say, “Paybacks are hell, life sucks and old age and bein’ in love ain’t for pussies.”

Chapter Four

Hadley was no longer speaking to Holden
. The two of them had disappeared into a far wing of Bly’s mansion together as soon as they were back in town. When they had walked into the house and Holden asked what they were going to do for three whole days if he wasn’t allowed to speak, Hadley had simply rolled her eyes so that he picked her up and climbed the wide staircase taking the steps two at a time. 

“It’s really kinda kinky to make love when you won’t talk to me, Hads, I think I like it. I u
nderstand that you’re highly pissed over my decision to go through SEAL training and my body has the bite and scratch marks to prove it. You are my very beautiful and erotic hellion…”

“Shut up,” Hadley said,
and her eyes said the rest. They said she loved him and she was frightened for him just as she was for herself. Her career was on an upward trajectory, celebrities weren’t called stars for no reason, she was a bright star blazing across the heavens, rising fast and travelling far. She was in love with Holden but she was sad about it. Her dad wasn’t going to live to old age and her lover probably wouldn’t either. Holden, Atticus and Jack were fools, testosterone junkies… heartbreakers.

“Be still and you won’t get hurt,” she said,
finally breaking her silence. She climbed on top of Holden as he lay across the enormous canopy bed in one of the dozen or so guest bedrooms. She removed a thin leather belt from the short-shorts she wore and told him to sit up as she bound his hands behind his back. She was perched on his lap and they were face to face as she secured the belt and he did his best to distract her.

He kissed the corners of her
scrumptiously full mouth and then her cheeks until she hissed at him to stop. He moved to her neck and then her breasts, biting at her nipples through the thin cotton of her blouse.

“Inconsiderate
self-centered bastard!” she growled as she yanked her t-shirt off and leaned into his kisses, panting and needy. The swift bite of pleasure shot from her nipples straight to her sex and set her on fire just as his touch always did. Her man, her love,
her Holden
. Oh, how it sent a jagged blade into her heart to know that his fierce love and loyalty to Atticus was pulling him toward such a fearful path. She was furious at both of them, they had no consideration for anyone but themselves, how much was she supposed to take? Her father, her brother, her truest love; all of them deserting her and her mother and Charlie. Not to mention what their actions would do to Sky and Alex and Mia, inflicting ever more scars on their family.

“Ahhhhhh,” s
he cried as the first orgasm gripped her and she settled onto his long thick cock, taking him in so deeply that he groaned in pleasure and she cried out at the delicious, heart-pounding pain.

“Hads, I’m coming back to you, don’t ever doubt it,” Ho
lden said when she lay curled so very close to him in the night. His cock stayed hard all the time when she was near, there was no changing that, his body craved her as much as his heart did. But he ignored it and lifted her face gently, their eyes sparkled as they met in the dark. She’d been crying but the tears had dried and her cheeks were salty when he bent to kiss her. “Don’t cry, baby, please. Hadley, I promise it will all work out. I have plans for us, I want to open a restaurant in New Orleans, in the heart of the city where you and I began our love affair. I’ll build it into an empire and we can live on the Gulf Coast when you’re tired of Los Angeles. We’ll raise our babies in the McCall house, we’ll swim naked in the Gulf and never fall out of love, we’ll find the happily-ever-after that most people only dream of.”

*

“I need this, what else have I asked for?” Hadley said. “Nothing. So this a deal breaker and I don’t want to leave you all in a bind, but it’s more or less a life or death… well, suffice it to say it’s a serious situation. My contract specifically states that in case of extenuating circumstances I can take a leave of absence, but I don’t want to do that. All I need is a bigger trailer on the set and a tutor for my little brother… and maybe someone to watch over him when I’m working.”

Hadley wasn’t exactly nervous but she did feel like she might throw
up as she presented her demands to the director and producers. They shuffled their feet and tapped their fingers and talked among themselves considering her requests. Ian Morrissey, the director who had insisted on having Hadley star in his film, leaned forward with his hands on the table and spoke up.

“Not a problem, how hold is… Charlie, is it? We’ll see to it that you have whatever you need to make things a little easier for you and your brother. Now Hadley, we’re behind schedule so you’re going to
have to work with Reef Townsend tomorrow and for a few days if that’s what it takes. You’re a tremendously talented actor, but it’s important for you to interact with these bikers, members of a motorcycle club, whatever. Authenticity, that’s what’s called for and excuse me if I point out that the gun-running, dope dealing, murder-for-hire lifestyle is not what you’re used to.”

In the week following their trip to Las Vegas Charlotte’s mood had become
an overly bright façade as she and Finn retreated into a world all their own. That combined with the fearful zombie-like look in her eyes had caused Hadley to take Charlie with her during the week when she was on the film set. Alex Bly was kind enough to send his jet to bring them home on Friday afternoons and see to it that they were returned to the town of Arroyo Grande just up the coast from L.A. on Sunday evenings.

“Charlie,” Bly had asked the first day he flew north with them. They were circling the San Louis Obispo Regional Airport and Bly was concerned over the decision Charlie had made to live away from home for the most part while Finn was ill. “Charlie, you know Vivi, don’t you, she’s Billy Kipling’s daughter? Well, your mother and I talked about it and we thought you might like to have her as a tutor and companion while Hadley is on set.”

“Oh, that would be great, wouldn’t it Charlie? You always have fun with Vivi, she’s a blast. She’ll play all those mindless video games you love and don’t forget that Atticus taught her how to really kick a soccer ball,” Hadley said and Charlie shrugged his shoulders without interrupting the game he was playing on his IPad.

“I’ve promised Charlotte that I’ll be here for Charlie and for you, Hadley, while she and your dad are… preoccupied. Vivi is studying to get her teaching certificate online and she only has two more semesters to finish her bachelor’s degree. She’ll be fun and caring and she doesn’t want to see Charlie fall behind in his school work. I had her meet with his teacher at Country Day and gather his books and the lesson plans for his classes.”

“Thanks, Alex, I know it takes some weight off Mom’s mind. When is Vivi coming? I haven’t seen her since we were all in Pass Christian last summer,” Hadley said and she felt a surge of deep and overwhelming love for Alex Bly. He sat across the aisle from her and it was clear that just saying her parents’ names was difficult for him. He loved her mother with a startling intensity, and he respected her father enough to be horrified that this terrible turn of events had befallen him.

That thought and Bly’s kindness and demeanor made Hadley gulp back tears and look away. Everything about him reminded her of Holden and Atticus. He and Atticus had the same head turning good looks, deeply riveting voices and overtly masculine charm. Holden was not quite the physical carbon copy of Bly that Atticus was, but he too was unmistakably Bly’s son. Bly and Holden had identical sea-glass colored eyes a
nd their personalities were very much alike. They were tough on the outside but when their hearts found true love, they were soft as marshmallows on the inside.

Atticu
s had inherited Charlotte’s pure sapphire-blue eyes and also her steely resolve. When the two of them made up their minds to accomplish a task they were unstoppable.

All three men, Bly, Atticus and Holden, were infuriatingly determined and loyal and normally those were traits to be admired. But Hadley didn’t admire her brother for going off on some soul searching crusade and she sure as hell wasn’t happy with the man she loved for taking that perilous journey with him.

“She’s waiting for us at the airport,” Bly said, turning Hadley’s thoughts back to Vivi Kipling. “She’s been in San Francisco so she’ll be meeting us in San Louis Obispo. I’d like to send Billy with you, Hadley, while you’re filming. Holden is concerned about this biker gang, the ‘Four Horsemen’ that you’ll be involved with. I have to agree, they don’t have a reputation for… malicious conduct that some of the gangs have, but to be on the safe side….”