Designer Desires (10 page)

Tony

Every time we take two steps forward, we take three steps back. I don’t understand why Korrine insists on fighting with me. I’m completely right about this. Steve is the most viable suspect. He’s pushing his way into Korrine’s life. His office is right next to hers. He made it seem like a lucky coincidence, when my PI George told me he was in a bidding war and virtually paid twice as much for the building when there was a cheaper location that he already had a bid on that he withdrew after learning about the occupants of the building next door, i.e., Korrine. However, I can’t tell Korrine any of this without letting her know that I had George investigating Steve long before she received any calls. Shit….
Tony was brought out of his thoughts when his assistant Amanda knocked on the door.

“Boss, Mr. Diaz is here to see you. Should I send him in?” Amanda inquired.

Brian Diaz was looking for a new agent. After the current MLB season, he was going to be a free agent.

“Yes, Amanda. Send him in,” Tony answered while standing. He was happy for the distraction. His thoughts had been on Korrine since their fight the day before. Tony felt uneasy not being with her, but knowing she had security helped him feel better. Of course, she didn’t know about Jake’s guys keeping a watchful eye on her. But what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her. He would keep her safe from a distance.

Once the meeting with Brian was concluded, Amanda stuck her head in the door and told Tony that he had several “urgent” messages. Tony was instantly on alert; did something happen to Korrine? Did Steve finally get to her? What was going on, and why didn’t Amanda interrupt the meeting if it was urgent? Tony’s thoughts were racing; not having control over this situation with Korrine was weighing heavily on him. All he wanted to do was protect her and make her his, but she just wouldn’t let him. She kept her guard up so high; he couldn’t imagine ever breaking through.

Amanda walked timidly through the door handing him the messages. Amanda’s behavior was odd. She was always confident, and she was also one of the few people that could handle Tony. With his controlling nature and stubborn persistence of always being right, he was a hard man to please. Amanda usually took it all in stride, but today was different.

“Amanda? Who are the messages from?”

“Several are from Ms. Austin. She is very persistent and insists that you call her immediately-” Amanda said the last part while rolling her eyes.

“Okay, calls from Misty aren’t something I would consider urgent,” Tony stated.

“Those aren’t really the calls that were marked ‘urgent’ boss. I was just stalling really…Ummm…Sir, your father called. He said he was coming into town, and he needed to inform you of the time and place to meet him for dinner.”

Tony took a deep breath while clenching and unclenching his fists. He was trying to remain calm. His father was the last person he wanted to see. The last thing he needed was hounding about the family business again. His father was upset that Tony had no real interest in the “family” business. After he set out on his own, his father couldn’t bear the idea that Tony would not be under his thumb and not easily controlled like the rest of his family…well, except for Jake. Tony refused to go into the business when he was twenty-two and straight out of college, and he definitely wouldn’t be doing it now at thirty-four. Anderson Cameron was a force; he was from the old school and ran his family with an iron fist and a closed heart. He was a ruthless businessman who took lots of risks and shortcuts to get where he was. He felt like “hard work” was for fools who didn’t know how to use the resources that were available. He took over the “family” business from his father after the old man keeled over. Anderson never cared too much for his own father. He thought he was too soft, and he had the power and control that Anderson longed to have. It took years and a lot of underhanded dealings to get full control of the Cameron Empire. But the old man did have a sense of tradition, and he built the Cameron name to be legendary. Anderson Cameron made sure his family never forgot what having that name entailed. It was his way and no other. He never accepted Tony’s career path, although he was highly successful and one of the highest paid agents in his field with the number one firm in the U.S.

Tony’s company had an emerging international clientele, expanding into all types of sports, from the NFL, NBA, MLB, to the Premier league in soccer, and even some Formula 1 drivers. Not to mention he was a millionaire ten times over. But his father wasn’t proud of his son for venturing out on his own and becoming a success. No, he was resentful that he walked away from what Anderson considered his family obligations. Tony wasn’t easily controlled or manipulated like his mother. He had a strong will that wasn’t easily broken, but Anderson was trying to remedy that.

“When and where would my father like to meet?” Tony asked Amanda finally finding his calm.

“He wants to meet at the Reunion Tower at the Five Sixty restaurant tonight at 8pm,” Amanda responded.

“Thank you, Amanda,” Tony replied in a huff.

Amanda nodded and turned to leave.

Tony hated when his father came to town, but he definitely didn’t need the distraction with everything that was going on with Korrine right now. Even though it had only been a couple of months, he felt a connection to her that he never felt before. Tony couldn’t get her off his mind, no matter how many times they argued. She was completely stubborn. This wouldn’t be the last argument they had, if he had anything to say about it that is. But now he couldn’t even focus on getting her to see that she was being completely unreasonable and to make up with him. It hadn’t been a full twenty-four hours, and he missed her plump lips that seemed to always be in a permanent pout. No, he wouldn’t be able to focus on Korrine until his father was back in Georgia.

Tony

Tony walked into the restaurant breathing slowly, trying to relax before seeing his father. He knew that the conversation was going to be the same as always; his father trying to control him by using his money and business, and Tony trying to control himself from punching his father in his smug face. This would be a long and excruciating night, and he didn’t even have Korrine to get lost in once he was done with this mess….He would have to rectify that soon. Maybe even tonight.

“Antonio, have a seat, son,” Anderson Cameron said as Tony approached the private table in the back of the restaurant.

“Father, to what do I owe this unexpected visit?” Tony questioned.

“I’ve gotten some astonishing calls from some…shall I say friends…who have stated that you have gotten mixed up with some gal, and she has you in all sorts of trouble.”

Gal? What the fuck? Is this Gone with the Wind? I really can’t stand this bastard.

Tony didn’t respond. He sat looking at his father with a cold chill in his eyes. His father took that as a sign of agreement and started to go in for the kill.

“It’s time that you stop with this foolishness. You are bringing shame to the Cameron name running around with all types like some miscreant. You’ve wasted a lot of time. You should have a wife and a family by now, son. This is not how I raised you; laying down with some girl with no family name…and she’s black!” Anderson shook his head in disgust before continuing. “The least you could do is date someone of your own pedigree; you can’t afford to run around with some nobody. What if she gets pregnant? You want to have some illegitimate child who is half black?!!” His father whispered the last part, not because of the unspeakable racism that flowed freely from his lips, but because he was scared someone would hear his son was sleeping with a black woman. Anderson stopped talking to take a sip of his scotch.

Tony sat across the table from the old man, seething with rage, but not wanting to give his father the satisfaction he was obviously seeking from getting Tony riled up. Tony took calming breaths and looked at his father. He sat watching Tony, seemingly waiting for him to fly off the handle.

Tony sat back in his chair, regaining his control, and spoke in a steady voice filled with warning. “Father, I am my own man. You have no say so in my life. Period. So, why are you here?”

Anderson leaned up, addressing Tony eye to eye. “You have responsibilities to uphold the family name. First, you run off so you wouldn’t have to be responsible for your part in the family business, but you refuse to give up your shares. Secondly, you have a vested interest by continuing to keep those shares, but you refuse to be involved with your own family.” Anderson’s voice started to rise as he continued. “Lastly, you keep gallivanting around with these worthless whores who only want you for your money, all the while bringing shame on the family! Do you know your mother would die if she knew?”

Tony sat shocked by the pure hatred radiating off his father. How could this man have had a part in creating him? The ignorance was unbelievable, and his rage was at a boiling point.

Anderson narrowed his eyes. “What will it take to get you to open your eyes, son? This new gal you’ve been running around with is nothing but some whore trying to get into your pockets. I taught you better than that. You don’t date the help, son; you fuck them and leave them where they are.”

Tony couldn’t hold the rage any longer. Not only had he insulted him and the woman that he was in love with, but he also had the audacity to be serious. Tony gave his father the iciest look he had ever given a man. “You don’t have fuck all to say to me about my life. You don’t know shit about me, old man. I don’t know what you think you know about my love life, but I can tell you that you don’t know shit about that either. What I suggest you do is to get on a plane and take your bigoted ass back to Georgia before I do something that both of us will regret.”

Tony stood and pushed his chair out so hard that it nearly toppled over. He marched from the restaurant seething, but never looked back at his father. If he did, he was afraid that he would kill the old bastard right there where he sat.

Anderson Cameron was surprised by Antonio’s will power. He was sure that mentioning his latest whore would get him to make a scene and get him right where he wanted him. But Antonio said what he thought would be the ending to the conversation, and simply walked away. But this wasn’t the last of this conversation. He knew that he and the girl hadn’t talked in the last day or so, and he thought this little fling of his son’s was over. But, seeing Tony’s reaction, he now knew that this girl was more of a distraction than he thought. Antonio was stubborn, but he would have to come around to seeing things the Cameron way; which is the way that Anderson needed things to be done. The girl had to go…once and for all.

“I just met with my son. It’s as bad as you said,” Anderson spoke into his cell.

“He is refusing to take my calls, and I’ve been to his office only to be refused entry,” Misty responded. “I don’t know what she has, but your son won’t walk away from this one. If we’re going to get him to marry me—hell, at this point, even just sleep with me—I need access to him. That’s something I don’t have at the moment.”

“I thought you said this girl was taken care of.”

“I thought she was. But he just won’t stay away from her, even though she’s clearly more trouble than she’s worth. He just keeps going back for more,” Misty stated, getting angrier the more she talked about Korrine.

“You said the guy you had was all too willing to take care of our little distraction. So what the hell is this guy doing?” Anderson asked in frustration.

“Well, he doesn’t seem to be getting anywhere with her. So maybe we need to step up the game plan. We only have a short time remaining before all hell breaks loose. We need Tony’s shares in the company, or you and my father are going away for the rest of your lives.”

“I told your dumb ass not to talk about the situation over the phone, you stupid girl,” Anderson spat into the phone. “Just do what needs to be done.” Then he disconnected the call.

Misty looked at her phone enraged. She was not a stupid girl.
I am a very intelligent woman, and all you Camerons are soon going to find that out.

Misty sat seething in anger. Her father and Anderson had dragged her into some bullshit, and she messed around and actually caught feelings for Tony. She had to work another angle if she was going to get Tony back where she needed him to be.

Tony

Tony was pacing back and forth in front of Reunion Tower waiting for the valet. He kept replaying the conversation with his father in his head. He knew too much about his life and dealings with Korrine. Why was he interested in Tony’s shares? Something was amiss.

He dialed Jake’s number. He was missing something, and he needed to connect the dots and quick.

“Hey, buddy. What’s up?” Jake questioned after picking up on the first ring.

“A whole lot, cousin. It’s some shit going on that I’m unaware of, and I need to find out ASAP what the hell it is,” Tony replied.

“Sounds serious. My guys just gave me an update on Korrine, so it couldn’t be her. She just left her studio and was headed to her apartment. So what’s the new development?” Jake asked.

“My father. That bastard is up to no good. I can feel it, and this time I’m determined to find out what. Meet me at my place in twenty, and I will give you the information you need. In the meantime, I will get started with my own search.”

“Will do. See ya in twenty,” Jake responded hanging up.

Tony’s mind was racing. Everything wasn’t adding up, and he couldn’t figure out why. There were missing pieces everywhere. Why was his father here from Georgia, asking questions about his dating life all of a sudden? His father never gave a flying flip about whom he dated in the past. He never even cared enough to know who or when he was dating anyone. Tony always knew that his father was a bigot, though. That was a well-known fact…something his father never tried to hide. Even though he was a well-known businessman, he was still a white man in the south and some things will never change. That was one of the reasons Tony left his family behind. He loved his mother and cousins. But, like Jake, he had to get away from them. Their outdated traditions and family money was suffocating him, and he ran fast and far to get away from them. First, he went to college in California on a football scholarship. He didn’t want his father’s money anywhere near his education. He knew that if he chose to let him pay for his college, he would try to control his major and try to make him go into the family business.

The family owned an investment company and real estate all over Georgia. It was the investment firm that made the money though. Anderson was acting president and CEO of the investment and financial sectors of the business, with his younger brothers Luke, Lauryn’s father, and Jack, Jake’s father, running different parts of the real estate portion of the company.  Recently, the investment side of the business had been taking a loss. Like most investments, there were risks involved, but Anderson seemed to be taking bigger and bigger risks. However, in the last year, the turnaround in the business had been positive…miraculous even. Anderson had been hiding some dealings from his family, and his excuses for the sudden turnaround into the positive weren’t adding up. But since Anderson was the oldest and had the most shares, that meant he had the power in the company. So nobody said anything. The family had more money than they would ever need, so nobody asked any questions. Tony wasn’t any better; he never asked questions because he didn’t want to be involved with his father or his business. But now it was time for the questions to be asked and the answers to be given.

A half an hour later, Jake and Tony were at his place going over the most recent happenings involving Tony’s father. Tony grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and sat in his leather recliner. Jake sat on the sofa with a computer on his lap and several different documents spread on the coffee table.

“Okay, so all of a sudden dear old uncle is here from Georgia asking questions about Korrine?” Jake asked with his brow furrowed.

“Not really asking questions…more like accusing me of ruining the family name by dating Korrine. He acted as if he knew everything there was to know; he even mentioned the ‘trouble’ she had gotten into.”

“Now how would he know about Korrine’s stalker and why?” Jake asked more to himself.

“Exactly. Something else he said reminded me of a conversation I had recently with Misty Austin.  Both of them mentioned having the right pedigree.”

Jake snorted. “What are you? A damn show dog?”

Tony narrowed his eyes at his cousin. “Their words not mine, but it is unusual that they both used the same wording is all; that’s just too much of a coincidence. Anyway, at first I didn’t pay much attention to Misty. She’s just some chick that knew the family, and she was always around. We hooked up every now and then, but lately she’s been calling nonstop. She, like my father, knew way too much about Korrine when neither of them should know shit unless they were watching me.” Tony stood from his recliner and started to pace.

Jake watched Tony pace. “You think your father and Misty have been communicating. But what would be their reason for wanting you away from Korrine?” Jake stated with a look of confusion written all over his face.

They both thought for a few seconds before they both answered in unison, “Money.”

“Misty needs it,” Tony added.

“And your father has it.”

“But what can either of them gain by me not being with Korrine?”

“We both know Misty Austin would do anything to stay in the life in which she has grown up accustomed, and she needs a husband. Her bed-hopping ways aren’t going to last much longer. She isn’t a spring chicken after all,” Jake stated with a smirk.

“Right, that’s reason enough for Misty to want Korrine out of the way, so she can try to get her hooks into my wallet, but why would my father care?”  Tony said growing tired of all the unanswered questions.

Jake shrugged his shoulders, “other than him being a bigot?” Jake responded matter-of-factly.

“It couldn’t be just that, Jake. As much as I dislike the bastard, he’s smart. He wouldn’t come to me like he did just because Korrine is black. No, this has something to do with business. He kept bringing it up, even more than usual. He had a sense of urgency like I’ve never seen in him.”  Tony shook his head, his brown eyes becoming clouded as the pieces of the puzzle just wouldn’t shift into place.

“He wants me to give over my shares, but why now? He has never mentioned my shares before. He only wanted me to take over the company, but I thought he would let it go once I made my first million on my own. He hasn’t brought the business up in years, and never has he mentioned my shares. We all have shares.” Jake nodded in agreement as Tony continued. “Now all of a sudden he’s here telling me that I need to be married and talking about my shares…why?”

Tony was clearly frustrated.  His face was stricken with worry lines, and his eyes had dark rings under them.  His hair was all messy from him constantly running his hands through it in exasperation. There was still so many unanswered questions.

“Why, indeed, is the question…I need to get access to Cameron Corps financials. If this is about money, then that’s where we need to look,” Jake stated then paused. “What about Korrine’s stalker? Do you think that your father had something to do with that too?”

“The stalker did come from nowhere…and Korrine doesn’t have an enemy in the world…except for maybe Misty….” Tony looked at Jake.

“Could Misty be behind this stalking thing?” Jake asked.

“Why would she stalk Korrine? It doesn’t make any sense. But she was acting super disturbed the last time I saw her. She was almost desperate…ranting like a lunatic in my office.”

“What all did she say?”

“Come to think of it, she knew way too much about Korrine. She knew she was a designer and everything. Those are things she shouldn’t have known because I hadn’t seen Misty in weeks…maybe even months…before I started dating Korrine.”

“These are things you should’ve told me, buddy,” Jake said going back to his computer screen.

“I thought it was Steve,” Tony replied deprecatingly.

“Jealousy can do that to a man.”

Tony quirked an eyebrow and stopped pacing. He looked over at his cousin, who was smirking as he typed furiously on his keyboard. “What is this about me being jealous? I’m not jealous of that asshole. He can’t take my girl.”

Jake smirked even harder and looked at Tony. “Buddy, it isn’t about if he can take your girl; it’s about the fact that he has the audacity to try. Korrine is a beautiful woman, men are going to give her attention, and you are not going to like it.”

“Of course I’m not going to like it! What sane man wants his woman being ogled by other men? Like when that asshole Jeff was grinding all over her,” Tony said with fury in his voice. “I wanted to bash his head in but I didn’t. And that motherfucker deserved more after the things he said about her. His ass better be glad he’s not in a coma somewhere.” 

“Wait, Jeff….Jeff who?” Jake asked sitting up.

“Jeffery Langston…smug asshole. But no worries, I put that dick in his place. I haven’t seen or heard from him since,” Tony replied.

“First, you should’ve told me about that too. We know Jeff is a vindictive little shit. He could’ve easily contacted your father.”

“Why would he want to? Korrine and I weren’t even dating at that point,” Tony responded brushing Jake’s comment away.

“Did you threaten him?”

“Wouldn’t you?”

“You can’t beat down and threaten every man that ‘ogles’ Korrine. Again, she is a beautiful woman, and that is something that
will
happen. Believe me, buddy, you’re going to have to learn to relax because you can’t control every aspect of life,” Jake sighed. “Look, I’m going to look into Jeff. Like I said, he can be a vindictive piece of work. So you threatening him may not have gone away as easily as you thought.”

Tony looked at his cousin. He knew he was right, but he just didn’t want to admit that to the smirking bastard. He wasn’t trying to control Korrine. He only wanted to control himself and the intense feelings and emotions he had when he was around her. Tony suddenly felt exhausted. Could he have brought all this trouble to sweet Korrine? She said herself that she didn’t have anyone in her life that would stalk her in her past or present. It was he who had all the bimbos, silver spoon jerk offs, and a crazy father lurking.

Shit, maybe this is my fault
.

He had to make things right with Korrine before any of these people hurt her.