Queen (Mistress & Master of Restraint) (94 page)

“Hey, you picked her for my future step-mother, deal with it,” Ezra snickers an
d I kick the back of his seat.

“Shut it!” I kick him again because Marc glared over his shoulder and called us immature bullheads under his breath. “Why am I in your overpriced gas-guzzler?”

“I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?”

I say the bad news and Marc says the good news. Ezra finds it hilarious.

“I’m borrowing my partner’s term for this. I never approved until about fifteen minutes ago. The cunt has gone off the deep-end. She went public. Ade told the press that I’m a rapist and my daughter is the product and the proof. She said she is the scorned woman. The entire article screamed of my mother’s voice. My mother outted her son and granddaughter. What kind of monster does that shit? Why can’t Adelaide see that she’s just using her?”

“It sounds like Diane,” Marcus hisses her name with distaste. “I’m su
re that Cortez was unscathed.”

“Of course he was,” Ezra says snidely. “I’m not telling Katya that it’s her future mother-in-law who just ruined us. She’s petrified right now with our rapist running around the streets a
nd Ade sending her hate-mail.”

“So we know for sure it’s Ade? I tried to get her to admit it. I received a message that her email address had been cancelled.”

“Oh yeah, it’s her,” Marc growls. “I’d sat for three days straight going over countless security recordings. Cunt,” he bites out.

“How much have you told Kat?” I ask Ezr
a as I lean between the seats.

“Nothing and it will stay that way. I found out about the article when they called me for comment. I’ll try to keep her in the dark for as long as possible. She’s experiencing sub-drop
right now and Cort blames me.”

“If the shoe fits,” I mumble.

“I heard that,” Ezra complains. “I need my loving adoptive parents to tell me what to do since my mother is the one who outted us and my rapist, birth father is running around trying to talk to my daughter and future wife. If the advice is good enough I will share the good news.”

“My advice is to take a page from Whitt’s playbook. Manipulate the hell out of everything she said but still tell the truth. Play the victim and make them feel guilty for printing her statement. It was against the law to print anything that Ray Hunter did to you guys. The records were sealed. As far as the rape that created Ava, don’t say anything. The obvious is the unobvious. Why would a mother marry her rapist? She wouldn’t. So they will never suspect the truth. Make one statement and never respond to anything else that erupts. That’s what I’d do
,” I offer.

“I agree,” Marc
us’ voice says he’s impressed.

“I’m so glad you approve,” I say snidely.

“It’s a good plan. Should Katya or Cort say anything?”

“No,” Marc and I say in unison, but I keep talking. “This is between you and Ade. It was an article about her allegations against you. If you have them say anything it will draw more attention to it. You need to go back to them and tell them the truth. Prepare you daughter for the fallout. I don’t want her to find out from some snooty bitch that she was a product of rape.”

“Don’t tell Katya about Diane yet either, Son. She won’t feel secure. Diane won’t hurt any of you. It’s me she wants to annihilate.”

“Yeah, she just goes through me to get to you,” Ezra growls. “I agree, though. Right now Ray and Ade are our biggest issues. Ade is really losing it and I fear what she will do to Katya if Daniel really does plan o
n putting her in WinterCrest.”

“She has a one-way ticket booked to the asylum. I just hope she doesn’t earn it. I plan on getting her out as soon as I can. I’m tired of this shit,” I whimper.

“It won’t be forever,” Marcus tries to verbally comforts me.

“We still have a little over two years to go,” I growl.

“It’s better than ten or fifteen,” he offers.

“Who wants good news?
Hmm?” Ezra says in excitement.

“I do,” I deadpan and raise my splinted hand.

“Congratulations, you’re going to be grandparents!” Ezra’s proud voice booms in the confines of the car.

“That better be another step-mom joke because my son is fifteen and my daughter is eleven going on twelve. And neither has a friend, and if I have anything to do about it, they never will,” I growl.

“Are you positive?” Marc asks in awe.

“Yeah, she’s six weeks late. I felt her swelling belly yesterday afternoon and Cort told me he noticed when I got back to our room last night. She’s obliv
ious,” he says with affection.

“Congrats, Ezra, I mean it. Just don’t fuck the kid up,” I tease.

“I’m scared to death. I have everything I could ever hope for and it comes at the worst time imaginable.” His voice warbles with nervousness.

“You do realize that you created all of this to happen during the worst time imaginable. You lured her here, stalked her, made us play cat and mouse, and now you and Cort have knocked her up. You should’ve waited until your mom and Ade
were done with their world domination plot,” I reprimand him. 

“I won’t be like you two. Life is too short to wait on happiness. I will worry, but the payoff outweighs the risk. I have to call the paper and then go get breakfast and take it back to Restraint. I’m anxious to check on Kat and ha
ve Cort yell at me some more.”

“In other words, get the hell out of my car,” I tease. “Talk to them both. Don’t let Kat find out from the paper. Sit Ava down and tell her the truth. I’ve been a mother for fifteen years- heed my advice.”

“Yes, Mother,” Ezra taunts me.

“You’ll regret that someday,” I warn as I crawl out his SUV.

“Doubtful. I know something you don’t know,” he sings.

“What?” I ask belligerently.

“Don’t,” Marcus warns and I don’t know who it’s directed at.

“Ask your son if he has a friend,” he taunts me and Marc shut the door cutting off the rest of his comment.

I step forward to open the door and Marc taps the hood to get Ezra driving. I growl as I watch the smirking bastard back out of my driveway.

“What?” I ask again.

“I thought it would be better if you heard it from me. I was scared you’d actually kill him this time. Ava has a crush on Niel,” he says softly.

“Is it mutual?” I ask already knowing the answer. My son has acted more mature the past month or so- manly and cocky.

“She’s his girlfriend,” he won’t look at me and I have a light bulb moment.

“Daniel requested this, didn’t he?”

“Yes,” Marc whispers and grabs me before I blow up.

“Does my son actually like her or is he turning into Grant? Daniel doesn’t care if Ade marries Ezra anymore because he wants his heir to marry yours. Whittenhower money is a paltry sum compared to mine and yours. Daniel thinks he can get control of the Regal, Zeitler, and Whittenhower fortunes by
whoring my son out to your granddaughter,” I sob in outrage. 

“I didn’t want you to know. Whitt and I have been trying to smooth it over,
” Marcus tries to placate me. 

“Whitt knew and did
n’t tell me,” my voice cracks.

“It rang a bit too close to home for you and you’ve been very sensitive about the past lately. I do believe that the children care for each other. It’s not the same as you and Grant or Ade and Ezra.
Your son is like you and Whitt. He has a backbone of steel. Don’t doubt his ability to manipulate his grandfather. Come, let’s get you inside,” he coaxes and I follow.

I find myself tucked in bed with Marcus curled around me. I wanted to protest but the newest revelation hurt my soul.

“I’m sorry, Regina,” his voice breaks and he pulls me closer into his embrace. “We will circumvent this.”

“If we can’t, I will take prison over ruining another generation of chil
dren. I will kill him,” I vow.

“Daniel is at the bottom of the pyramid. You’d have to kill my wife and others to get this to stop. Once you and Whitt control his family all will be well.”

My bedroom door cracks open and Whitt sticks his head in.

“You’re still awake,” he says in disapproval. “I’m here to take Ella to school.”

“I know about our son’s extracurricular activities. I don’t know what is worse. Daniel trying to pull my son’s strings or the fact that Ezra would end up being my family for real and not in the way he loves to joke. It’s so incestuous,” I say in distaste.

Marc’s laugh rumbles against my back and I can see Whitt’s dimple
d grin as he walks to the bed.

“At least you’
re joking already,” he teases.

“Who said I was joking. The idiot calls me mom. He fancies me as his step-mom. If the kids really did hook up, Ava would be my granddaughter and my daughter-in-law. Incestuous,” I whimper.

“They’re really cute together. I promise they really do like each other. Niel found her before our grandfather even came to him with the idea. He went along with it since he’d already asked her out. He’ll be a good boy,” Whitt promises.

“His father was a m
an-whore at his age,” I groan.

“But his father didn’t raise him- I did. He will take after his dad, not his cowardly father or I will beat him and Marc will help me,” Whitt hisses.

“Oh, I’ll help all right. I know boys and girls real well. Don’t ask how my kids acted at that age. It’d scare you to death. I’d invest in chastity devices if I were you guys,” he shudders at the thought of the horny adolescent versions of Ezra, Cortez, Aaron, and Divina.

“Get some rest. I have a bunch of Whittenhower spawn and a Zeitler to drive to Hillb
rook,” he says affectionately.

“Why not
have Albert do it?”

“Because I love it.
It’s fun as hell to watch three twelve-year-old girls fawn all over Niel like he’s a grown man with superpowers. Whitney glares at Ava the entire time because she knows that Ella and Priss aren’t her competition for his attentions. It’s like a pride of lionesses circling their lion. Be happy he found Ava at this age or he would have turned into Cortez,” he snickers with pride.

“Sleep,” he commands and gives me a s
oft kiss. “I love you, Queen.”

“I love you, too,” I flutter against his lips and I kiss him again. He pulls away laughing.

“I’ll let you keep my wife warm and cozy, but that’s my bed tonight,” he teases Marc, but there’s an underlying threat of violence.

“I won’t hurt her,” Marc vows.

“Yeah… total bullshit. I’m only being gracious right now because you were the one that raised me. If you make her cry one more time I’m going to kick your ass,” he threatens as he leaves my bedroom.

“He scare
s me sometimes,” Marcus muses.

“Why?” I ask in shock.

“Because someday he may realize that he actually can kick my ass in every way imaginable. I just hope he loves and respects me enough when the times comes to retain my vision. Time to sleep,” Marc murmurs against my cheek.

I allow him to hold me while we doze. I hold him at arm’s length emotionally. I won’t let him in until he earns it.  
 

Chapter Twenty-Eight

I walk to my son’s room in a daze. The past month has been out of the norm and I’ve been frightened to ask what he’s done to allow me this precious gift. The fact that Niel has a bedroom under my roof is a blessing.

Three changes have occurred in my life:

One: I haven’t slept alone in the past month and I’m scared to ask how or why. Every night at two a.m. Whitt and I cuddle up and sleep. Jamie still texts me at one a.m. every night asking for information on his children. He’s more involved now that Whitt refuses to answer his texts.

Two: Marcus is relentless. The farther I run, the faster he chases me. I actually think Whitt took up residence in my bed to keep Marc at bay. Phone call, texts, impromptu visits, and he even drops in for dinner several times a week. I refuse to touch him outside of platonic affection. I don’t allow him an emotional connection, and I never allow him to explain. He hasn’t earned it yet. One month of kissing my ass isn’t the equivalent of two years of heart-wrenching loneliness.

Three: My son lives with me. Three weeks ago Niel came to visit and didn’t go home for three days. He handed me an official document from his grandfather that stated we had joint custody. One week I get three days and the next four and I get to pick which days. This scares me to death.

The last straw and the reason why I’ve finally gotten the courage to demand answers is Aaron and Kayla’s wedding. This afternoon we’re going as a family of Whittenhowers. I received two invitations: One as a fellow Master and friend of the happy couple, and one as a Whittenhower. Daniel wanted his family at his side, me included. This scares me even worse than my son living with me. I will be presented as a Whittenhower to his inner-circle. I have no doubt my wealth has something to do with it, but my son is the real reason.