White Lies (10 page)

He had to smile
.“
Tell me how many of you there are to protect, and I will do everything in my power to protect you. Even if i
t’
s my mother
I’
m protecting you from. Jus
t
—” he let the smallest hint of emotion slip into his voice, the vaguest hint that there was something more than he needed
.“
Just please. Tell me what I need to know
.
”

CHAPTER EIGHT

Watching Alex and Cindy stare at each other was not unlike watching two alley cats circle each other, spitting and hissing. Zoey kept her eyes on the recording counter on her tablet, trying not to wince at the words coming out of Ale
x’
s mouth. She knew he was right. He had to say these things to Cindy. They needed more information to move forward. Sh
e’
d found a lot of hints, but very little information that was solid. Rumors and ghosts was all she had been able to find. Philip Blankenship had covered his tracks well.

Cindy gave in, in the end. Zoey felt the moment it happened, even without looking at her. The air in the room relaxed, settled gently, and the tension that Zoey had collected in her shoulders faded gently away.

“
There are five of us, in total
,
” Cindy said
.“
I know all the others. To the best of my knowledge, no one else does. Olivia knew of Arturo, of course, and Thalia.
I’
ve done everything I can to keep the twins hidden from everyone. Of course, they were
n’
t young enough for Philip to begi
n…
interfering in their lives yet
.
”

“
Interfering
?
”

Cindy cocked her head ever so slightly to the side
.“
You think that I wanted to be molded into his inferior copy? That my mother wanted him constantly involved in our lives, reminding her of what had happened on one horrible night
?
”

“
I think that a smart person would use any advantage that they were given to screw over someone who had hurt their family
.
”

At that, Cindy managed a faint smile.

“
Arturo was killed in his home last night. The others are Thalia Nicolaevna, and Henry and Irene Brie. Arturo was only a few months younger than me. Thalia had just turned 20. The twins are just children
.
” Cindy sighed and shook her head
.“
Olivia came to me last year and asked me to sign something stating I would never attempt any claim on Phili
p’
s estate, never publicly attempt to claim myself his child, never seek any kind of acknowledgment
.
”

“
Did you sign it
?
”

Alex and Cindy both glanced at Zoey, as if the
y’
d forgotten she was in the room. She cleared her throat, and spoke more carefully
.“
Obviously, it changes everything if you did
.
”

“
I did not
,
” Cindy said
.“
At the time, it was mostly just because I was furious with Olivia. She knew exactly what Philip had done to my mother, knew that he continued to force himself into our lives, and did nothing to stop it
.
”

“
Do you have a copy of the document
?
”

Cindy nodded
.“
At my office. I
t’
s in my email, and ther
e’
s also a thumb drive in a concealed compartment in my desk. My entire hard drive is backed up onto it, as well as the specific correspondence from Olivia and her associates
.
”

“
Is she still in contact with you
?
” Alex seemed more than happy to let her ask her questions. She was a reporter, after all. Not a great one, maybe, and not one wh
o’
d managed to get much attention, but her instincts and her training were still there.

Cindy shook her head
.“
About three months ago, right before Philip died, she cut off all communication. My emails to her bounced, my texts have gone unanswered
.
”

“
What were you talking to her about
?
”

That faint smile again. It was
n’
t unlike Ale
x’
s, that small one that made her heart beat just a little faster. On Cindy, though, it looked sadder
.“
We are in the same spheres, and we do what we must to avoid each other. She does
n’
t want to be reminded of what her husband did any more than I do
.
”

It did
n’
t ring true, but Zoey made the call to let it go for now. Sh
e’
d ask more questions later, when Alex was
n’
t there to be hurt. Hearing his father called a rapist was enough for anyone, no matter how much they disliked their parents.

“
So what makes you think that yo
u’
re in danger
?
” Zoey asked.

“
How much do you know about the wording of Philip Blankenshi
p’
s will
?
”

“
Tell me what you know
,
” Zoey said
,“
and le
t’
s see where I might need to fill in the blanks
.
”

Cind
y’
s eyebrows skipped up for a moment, and she smiled a little bit more
.“
Philip, for whatever reason, did not name Alex and Claire specifically in passing on his assets to the heirs. The language of the will merely said that his assets would be split equally among his children. Whether or not his intention was for his bastard children to receive some portion of his assets
?
” Cindy shrugged
.“
It would end up in the courts, I imagine. Olivia would surely contest it
.
”

“
What makes you think I would
n’
t contest it
?
” Alex asked, his voice hard.

Cind
y’
s eyes went cold
.“
You could try,
I’
m sure. But to be clear. He did
n’
t just support our mothers, he supported us. He intervened on our behalf many times. He made sure that I got into the best schools, he made sure that Arturo got the capital and training necessary to start a successful business, and once it was functioning, he convinced his friends to get their offices and homes remodeled. An argument could absolutely be made that he treated us as he treated his own children
.
”

“
Even better
,
” Alex amended
.“
Although I suppose I had his name, and he figured that would do his work for him. Since he was apparently too busy taking care of his bastard children to notice the ones he was legally obligated to
.
”

“
All right
,
” Zoey said, before Cindy could fire back as well
.“
You two are
n’
t ever going to be besties, and no one blames you for that. We need to focus on why Cindy feels threatened, how that lines up with what w
e’
ve discovered, and what we do about that
.
”

She watched Alex close his eyes, and take the kind of deep breath that people learned from Eastern arts instead of Western ones. His chest and his stomach expanded gently with the air he drew in, held, and then slowly and completely released. When his eyes opened again, she saw in them quiet focus and mellow determination
.“I’
m sorry
,
” he said
.“
This is all a lot to take in. I had an ide
a—
but five? And all of you with potentially a claim on the fortune? Olivia is going to lose her mind
.
”

“
Just Olivia
?
” Zoey asked, her tone quiet but questioning
.“
Not you
?
”

Alex directed his gaze towards his hands. His fingers were knitted together, and it was a few minutes before he spoke
.“
My mother is very aware that it is her fortune that saved the old man from bankruptcy. Much of what AEGIS has become was built from her money. She put up with as much as she did because leaving Philip would mean leaving so much of her money behind. Her father was
n’
t wise enough to insist on a pre-nup, and she was a naive girl, convinced sh
e’
d always be in love. If she believes that instead of the money and the influence being divided between her two children, i
t’
s to be split between seven children, most of the
m—
I can only assum
e—
not black
?
” Cindy nodded, conceding the point. Ale
x’
s eyes closed for one moment, in what Zoey had to assume was pain. He scrubbed his hand over his jaw. Was there stubble there? Had he shaved before sh
e’
d seen him this morning
?“
I do
n’
t know what sh
e’
d do
,
” he said, quiet
.“
I thin
k—
she could be capable of anything
.
”

“
Ther
e’
s only four of us now
,
” Cindy said, her voice quieter and more respectful than Zoey had anticipated
.“
And I ca
n’
t get in touch with Thalia
.
”

CHAPTER NINE

Zoey was
n’
t sure if that was meant to sound as sinister as it did. The words almost seemed to clank down to the floor. She thought if she looked, she might see them there, shattered and broken.

“
Who controls their shares? The others
?
”

Cindy raised her eyebrows.

“
The children
,
” Alex asked
.“
Has anything been signed? Assuming that the courts upheld any interest that children other than Claire and myself have in AEGIS
?
”

Cindy nodded
.“
Their parents made the decision to trust any potential interest with me. Arturo and Thalia both retained their own control, of course, though I will admit that they both planned to ask me for advice on what to do with them
.
”

“
Did you plan to challenge the will
?
” Ale
x’
s tone was harder than Zoey anticipated.

“
It was written that way in order to give us the option
.
” Zoey could see the other woman now, standing in a courtroom, facing down a cranky judge. Her spine was straight as a fireplace poker, and her eyes were icy cold.

“
What in the world gives you that opinion
?
”

“
Do you contest that your father has access to the best lawyers money can buy
?
”

“
No
.
”

“
Do you think that any reasonably competent lawyer would
n’
t have advised their client that a far more concrete legal way to write that document would have been to list the beneficiaries by name? Do you think any lawyer ever would
n’
t have pointed out that the phrasing he chose leaves the document open to contesting, especially given the way he chose to live his life
?
”

“
Oh, I can certainly see that conversation happen just as you say
,
” Alex said. His body language was relaxed, almost draped back against the couch, but his eyes were anything other than calm
.“
But what I do
n’
t see, what I do
n’
t hear is proof
.
”

“I’
d happily submit to a DNA test
.
”

“
Convenient, since Philip is dead, and ca
n’
t submit a sample
.
”

“
Yo
u’
re not going to believe me, no matter what I say to you, are you
?
”

Zoey flinched, waiting for Ale
x’
s fiery response. Instead, she saw his set face break into a wide grin
.“
I believe you, I just wanted to see if you believed in yourself
.
”

It took a couple of long moments for the anger to glide out of Cind
y’
s eyes, but the strong line of her back did
n’
t weaken for even a moment
.“
So what do we do now
?
”

“
I need to finish getting ready for the office.
I’
ll give you a ride into town, if yo
u’
d like. The car heads that way anyway. And we can have a conversation about what, exactly, you plan to do with your shares of AEGIS, if the courts award you the rights to them
.
” He nodded to Zoey, and she tapped off the recording.

“
Thank you for hearing me out
,
” Cindy said.

“
Do
n’
t thank me yet
,
” Alex replied
.“I’
m sure the hard work is just beginning. Zoey, would you mind following me for just a moment
?
”

There was something in the way he phrased the words that made Zoe
y’
s insides tremble
.“
Of course
,
” she said, picking up her tablet and following him back towards the bedrooms of the penthouse.

He walked through the doorway of his master suite, and before Zoey had a chance to set the tablet down, the door slammed shut behind her, and he pressed her up against it with almost savage force. His mouth came down on hers, smashing her lips against her teeth, his knee pressing between her thighs, working her knees apart. She whimpered her yes into his mouth as his fingers dug into her flesh, leaving bruises on top of bruises.

“
I wish you were wearing a skirt
,
” he whispered against her skin as his hips thrust against hers. She could feel him, rock hard and eager, just as ready as he had been the first time he touched her
.“
If you were wearing a skirt, I would rip your panties getting them off.
I’
d be between your knees again, licking you until you were wet enough, and then turn you to face the wall, and then
I’
d fuck you so hard, Zoey,
I’
d have to hold back so I would
n’
t break you.
I’
d make you bite your arm again, to keep from screaming.
I’d—
Jesus, I do
n’
t know,
I’
d slide a toy in your ass and bite your shoulder when I came an
d—
Jesus, Zoey, my fathe
r
—”

“
You should have bought me a skirt, then
,
” she said, making a bet with herself, in the moment, that h
e’
d feel better for getting his frustration out rather than letting it overwhelm him. There would be time for the hard emotional conversation of what a terrible man his father had been later, when it was less raw, and he would
n’
t later regret saying awful things to someone he barely knew.

He groaned into her ear
.“
Next time, then
.
” It was just a little bit of a question, and she grinned and nipped at the skin of his throat, where it was close to her teeth.

“
Yes
,
” she whispered
.“
And next time, yo
u’
ll have to spank me like before.
I’
m sure
I’
ve done something bad
.
” She reached her hand down between them, caressing his erection through the fine wool of his trousers.

“
Oh yes
,
” he murmured against her.

“
So what would be your second choice
?
” she asked, sliding her hand inside of his pants and rubbing her fingers over the swollen tip of him. His forehead dropped onto her shoulder, and he made a long, low sound, deep in his throat. His hips were moving with her rhythm now, not his. Yes, h
e’
d contained everything h
e’
d felt during that conversation, and this was the only way he knew to release it at all.

“
I do
n’t—
that feels amazin
g
—” Alex leaned down to kiss her neck again, and she pushed him gently away.

“
Mr. Blankenship
,
” she vamped
,“
I need you to tell me what you want me to do
.
”

He shook his head as if it were full of cobwebs he could
n’
t quite clear.

Inspiration struck
.“
Am I correct that you want to keep going
?
”

“
Yes
,
” he whispered, his eyes closed, his attention focused on her hand.

“
Well then
,
” she said. She pushed away from the wall, and twisted them so that his back was leaning for a change. His eyes opened in surprise, and she caught them and held them while she dropped slowly down to her knees. She freed her hand to work his belt and zipper, then pulled his boxers down so that his cock sprang free.

“
Oh Christ
,
” he murmured as she leaned over him.

Most guys expected her to just leap at their cock and just try to suck it down all at once; she always preferred starting with a long lick, like she was going after an ice cream drip. Root to tip in one small, firm motion, and then taking just the head into her mouth. He started to curse as soon as her tongue touched him, and the stream of profanity did
n’
t decrease as she wrapped her mouth around him.

He tasted salty on her tongue, thick and heavy and warm. She suckled the tip of him, one hand on his hip for balance, the other teasing her nipples into sharp points and then sliding down inside of her jeans to curl up inside of her
.“
Are you really
?
” he whimpered
.“
Oh god, princess, you are so filthy, so goddamned naughty
.
” His hand tangled in her hair, and he tried to force her rhythm.

She dragged her teeth over him, not hard enough to actually scratch, but enough to make him yip a little bit
.“
Mr. Blankenship
,
” she said, making her voice as much of a purr as she could manage
.“
I appreciate that you like to be in control. But just this one time, how about you let me take care of you
?
”

It was hard to put words to exactly what shimmered in the air between them. She knew it was hot and vibrant and strong, but it defined quantification beyond that. He did
n’
t say the word
s—
she wondered if he knew how to actually say that he was giving up control of anythin
g—
but he did let go of her hair, and slowly but surely, move his hands up to knit behind his head.

She went back to work on the tip of his cock. His cursing was even more profane now, but his hands stayed pinned behind his head. Which was good; it kept him from hurting himself as he knocked his head back against the door. She hummed, deep in her throat, and he spasmed in her mouth, his eyes flying wide
.“
You keep that up
,
” he panted
,“I’
ll come right in your mouth
.
”

“
Do
n’
t care
,
” she said, around the huge width of him. He groaned again, his eyes rolling closed, his teeth worrying at his lower lip
.“
Could I really make you come? Just like this, nothing but my mouth
?
”

“
Fuc
k
—” he gasped as she closed over him again, her tongue flicking over his tip as she suckled hard at what she could fit into her mouth
.“
Talking like that, like yo
u’
re the naughty secretary in a porn flick? Of course you could, princess
.
” His hips were shaking, his hands moving in rapid, twitchy little motions. They clutched at the door, scraped at his hair, clung for a moment to the frame of the door above his head
.“
Christ, oh Christ, princess. Yo
u’
re going to drain me,
I’
m not going to be able to do anything for you
.
”