GRAEME UNCAGED: Part One (Taming the Billionaire Book 2) (6 page)

Graeme pulled out his mobile, hit speed dial.

“Nick, Graeme. Having dinner with Louisa and she mentioned you heard Spenser is selling off his rental portfolio?”

“That’s right, Graeme. Half of it anyway. I might pick up a small block of flats in Clapham.”

“Pick up the whole package. The Bank will fund you. I want the leverage over that family for the divorce. We’ll have an accepted offer to hold over his father’s head to keep William in line.”

“That’s a hundred and forty units he’s listed, Graeme. Value of the package is about a hundred million pounds. Julia and I have seven million to invest. No way I can manage that lot yet.”

“No, but the Bank can.  You can pick and choose what you want for your own portfolio, and we’ll take the rest. Pay you a handsome agent’s commission. I don’t want him to know it’s me behind it until I’m ready to tell him. William knows you of course, but his father has never met you. You’ve set up your rental company haven’t you?”

“Yes, Jewel’s Properties is the name we settled on.”

Graeme laughed. “After my pet name for your future wife, eh? You’ve got it bad, Nick.”

“I have, and I’m delighted to help in any way I can.”

“Make sure you check to see what Spenser’s borrowed against those properties before you offer. Don’t want to find that we assume debt that exceeds the value of the properties. I’m sure he’s planning some sort of scam, because he had the money from the mortgages, and he can’t expect to get any more than he owes for them in this market. They’re all high aspect loans.

“We have a bright young lad in Acquisitions and Mergers, Paul Easton, I’ll assign him to help you.” 

“Thanks, Graeme. I’ll call him at the Bank first thing.”

“Then the two of you check with the head of the Mortgage Department before you present your offer. I’ll brief him in the morning.”

They rang off.

“You haven’t changed a bit, Graeme. Still as devious and determined as ever when you want to be,” smiled Rodriguez.

“No, I haven’t changed at bit, Rod. Anything to protect my daughter and give her what she wants…

“Anyway, my wife looks quite tired now, I should take her to her bed. Do you mind finishing up by yourselves and seeing my daughter home?”

“Not at all...” Rodriguez smiled broadly.

Rodriguez and Louisa sat looking at each other.

“I think my father just manipulated you, Rodriguez. Sorry.”

“Not at all, he knows I have a weakness for beautiful blondes, Louisa, and you are very beautiful. I thought so when I saw you at York. Your ass is amazing...”

Louisa blushed. “Thank you, Rodriguez...”

“Now, about this bastard husband of yours, I really would like to meet him in a dark lane somewhere.”

“I just wish that I was sure I could keep him away from the baby, Rodriguez. I know Daddy is doing his best, but William’s father is very money hungry and he knows I have that Twenty Million Pound trust fund, plus the houses which are probably worth about Twenty Five Million, the two of them. I don’t think John Spenser is going to let William just walk away. The houses are in my name, and most of the assets, but I’m sure he’ll try to get something. William told me it would cost me two million for him to renounce his rights to my son.”

“You’re having a son?” Rodriguez said sharply.
Oh yes, this was getting better and better.
A son!

“Yes.”

“When is the baby due?”

“Just over three months, the end of January. I should be divorced by then, anyway. You know, William is so dense, he’s even got the date of the baby’s arrival wrong, seems to think it’s the end of February!”

Rodriguez looked very thoughtful.

“Louisa...this is very presumptuous of me, but perhaps I would be able to help you keep this William away from your son.  I cannot stand to see such a beautiful, charming woman so distressed.”

“You are so sweet, Rodriguez, so very sweet.”

“You got pregnant the beginning of the summer?”

“Yes, I think just after I came back from Ireland. I’d been over there for a couple of weeks buying my new jumper.”

“What a coincidence, I was in Ireland about that time, buying some breeding stock from a stud farm there.”

“I was at Summerdown Stables.”

“Louisa, so was I! One afternoon, during the first two weeks of May, I think.”

“I must have been there just before you. I bought my jumper from them on May fourth.”

Rodriguez smiled. He reached over and took Louisa’s hand.

“Just think, little girl, if you had stayed a little longer, or I’d come a little earlier, we would have met again, and I would have been overcome with your beauty and we could have had a mad passionate affair, and this could be
my
baby...”

He stroked her palm and stared into her eyes.

“Ah...” Louisa smiled back. “I would have fallen for you like a ton of bricks, you are so handsome and sexy...I’ve had a secret crush on you for years, you’re so masculine and accomplished...”

“...and you are so beautiful and alluring and such a talented rider, querida. We share a love of horse and Olympic aspirations...”

“...while all William and I ever had in common was sex, and now he drinks too much for that to be good, I guess he saves it all for Maxine...”

“…whereas I do not drink too much…William is a fool and does not deserve you.”

“No, he doesn’t. I married him on the rebound from another man.  Good thing Daddy found out I planned to elope and got the pre-nup signed.”

“Louisa, perhaps we can help each other.”

“What do you mean?”

“My former wife, her name is Maria Isabella, has spread some very vicious rumours about me, that I am sterile and that I actually prefer the company of men. She married my cousin days after the annulment of our marriage, and she is pregnant now...and you, you are pregnant by a man you don’t love.”

“Or even like...”

“And if our times in Ireland had crossed...and we
had
met and had a brief, mad passionate affair, why that
could be
my baby you are carrying...”

They looked at each other and smiled.

Louisa could see exactly where Rodriguez was going with this, and it was in a direction that interested her very much.

“It was the most exciting affair of my life, ‘Riguez...”

“Is that what you called me?”

“Well, I wouldn’t keep calling you Rodriguez in moments of passion, would I? It’s much too long...and Rod is not nearly exotic enough a name for such a handsome, sexy man. ”

“Riguez, I like that...I also like that you find me a handsome, sexy man.”

“Hmmm....we were together four days?”

“Five...where?”

“My father’s estate just outside Belfast. The staff will certainly remember, when we fly over and remind them. They’re very loyal to our family.”

“I’ve actually been there, Lovely Louisa. I was a guest of your father about six years ago. We went fishing.”

“All you and I did once we got to Daddy’s estate was make love and eat Mrs. Green’s wonderful food,” fantasized Louisa.

“I couldn’t let you out of my sight, could I, darling?”

“Nor I you, ‘Riguez...”

Louisa giggled.

“Oh, what fun this would be, if we actually told the world it’s your baby, not William’s.”

“That is exactly what I am proposing, Louisa, that we tell the world it is my baby, not William’s. Because, you see, I think I am sterile...mumps as a child. For the first four years of my marriage, I was a very enthusiastic husband, but Maria Isabella never conceived.”

“Oh, dear.”

“We could fly over Friday for the day and see your staff. We could also go to Summerdown Stables and remind them of our coincidental visit. They have a mare I am negotiating to buy from them and and I’m sure the owner will remember last May when I agree to his price.”

“We could borrow the Bank’s plane from Daddy and go Thursday. I wanted to go to Cheltenham Friday for the Horse Sales.”

“I need an heir, Louisa. I am a wealthy man. Perhaps not as wealthy as your father, but possibly close. My holdings are not limited to Espagnolia. I own vineyards in Spain and a large gold mine in Australia as well. There is also a diamond mine in Canada. Property here and in the United States. An estate in Brazil, I play polo a lot in Brazil.

“
Our
son would inherit all that I own. Like your father, I count my wealth in the billions…”

“Oh.”

“We would be married immediately you are divorced. Are you Catholic?”

“Eh...no, but I suppose I could convert...”

“I will have to get dispensation to marry you anyway, since you are divorcing, so perhaps you will not need to convert.”

“I would convert, ‘Riguez.
Our
son needs to have a unified home, and Catholic is very close to Church of England.”

“You would ride for Espagnolia internationally after our marriage, of course, not England. Would that bother you? I think I can safely say I could guarantee you a place on the team.”

“Eh...no...I would be proud to represent my new country.”

“I am very traditional, Louisa. I will be the head of our household.”

“I’m quite traditional myself, ’Riguez.”

“What time is your appointment with your solicitor tomorrow morning?”

“Nine.”

“I shall accompany you and we shall tell her our news. After we will go to Cartier and I shall buy your engagement ring.”

“You are very like my father, aren’t you? Always in control.”

“You find that offensive?”

“Comforting, really. That’s how I grew up, with Daddy always in control. Mummy was very happy with that, and I take after her a lot. I think that will suit me quite well.”

“Good.  We will suit each other, Louisa. I knew years ago when I met you that I was impressed with your riding, and you seemed charming, and you were so beautiful and alluring, but you had just married and I was still married, a sham but still legally her husband...and I do not believe in sharing my women.”

“You found me alluring at York?”

“I think you realize how very alluring you are, Louisa.”

“What if William demands a DNA test?”

“Well, as long as we dictate the laboratory that processes the test, there is no problem. I know a company here in the UK that does such things. A cousin of mine owns it. But perhaps since William has fathered another child, he won’t ask.”

“Are you serious about this, Rodriguez?”

“Very serious, Louisa.”

“Why?”

“We each save face, we each get what we want...and we share traditional values. You may spend reasonable amounts of time in England, of course. I will treat you with dignity and respect. I will never embarrass you with other women.”

“I must ask, and I beg you to forgive me for this question, but...do you prefer men? Because I don’t think I’d like that at all.”

The Espagnolian roared with laughter.

“Louisa, Louisa... I’ll give you the answer to your question in just a little while...and I thank you for your frankness. Husbands and wives do better when they communicate clearly.”

“William and I rarely communicate at all.”

“Perhaps that was your problem. We will communicate all the time.”

Half an hour later, Louisa found herself in Rodriguez’s suite at the Four Seasons.

“I would offer you a brandy, but you aren’t drinking are you?”

“No...not good for the baby.”

“Will you excuse me a moment? I must call my mother.”

“Of course…”

To Louisa’s surprise, Rodriguez did not leave the room, but picked up the telephone on the desk, and pressed the speaker button so that Louisa could hear the conversation.

“Mama, can you talk a moment?”

“Of course I can, my son. My dinner guests have all gone now, not ten minutes ago.”

“Mama, Louisa and I are to marry.”

“Wonderful, Rodriguez, wonderful news. So you are happy with the beautiful lady?”

“I am going to be very happy with the beautiful lady and our son. Mama, I have a story to tell you, and I know you will repeat it where it suits us…”

Louisa’s eyes grew wide.

“Mama, Louisa and I actually had a liaison in the Spring. You remember I came to Ireland to buy some stallions?”

“I remember, you bought four, I think.”

“I did. Well, at the same time, Louisa was at the stable buying a jumper. We dined together. She was very unhappy, she’d just found out her husband was unfaithful with his secretary. Naturally, I consoled her, and you know I told you how attracted I am to her?”

“Yes, yes…” Mama’s voice was alert.

“We were very naughty, Mama, and had a wonderful affair. I did not know until I had dinner with her tonight that it is my son she is carrying.”