Page 2 of A Man of Wealth

I make it inside my door when my phone pings. I look down. Aiden has texted me a news article by none other than the lovely Vivienne Westerly.

I glance at it as I walk over to my bar. Her photo pops up alongside it. Why does she have to be so fucking beautiful? This calls for my best bourbon. Pouring myself two fingers, I take a sip and sit down on my sectional, letting my long legs stretch across the leather. I skim through the latest article as I let the amber liquid burn with each swallow.

Vivienne is on the hunt, as usual. I don’t exactly know why she’s chosen the brotherhood as her target. She clearly has no idea we even exist, but it’s only a matter of time before she puts two and two together. I just hope it’ll give us enough time to implode this house of cards from the inside. She’s a nosy bitch who needs to stay the fuck out of things she knows nothing about.

I hate the media. I’ve hated the media ever since my mother’s death. They painted her as a whore and a gold digger. She wasn’t any of those things.

I toss my phone on the coffee table and lean back as I take another sip. My mother. I can still remember the smell of her perfume. The feel of her smooth lips against my forehead as she kissed me goodnight for the very last time.

I can still hear the explosion, see the fire. Hear the screams.

I down the rest of my drink, trying to wash away the horrid memories. I open my eyes and look around the room. The cathedral ceiling has a dozen skylights, allowing me to view the stars overhead. I’ve purposefully left the lights off. Only the dim under-cabinet lights in the kitchen illuminate the house. I like it dark in here.

My granny was blind by the time I was born. A product of another accident. She never used her lights, and after spending several summers with her, against my father’s wishes, I became accustomed to the dark. She taught me how to use my hearing to compensate for my sight. She taught me many things, but that lesson has stuck with me, even now.

My mind wanders back to Alexis. Her words were shocking, yet not. Sebastian once alluded to the fact that he all but knew his father was part of the elite. I’ve long suspected the same thing about my own father. They run in very different circles, yet their business relationships seem anything but mutually exclusive. Sebastian’s father is two years older than mine, but they were at school together and they were brothers in the fraternity. We didn’t know this until we pledged and took the vow. The vow that changed everything.

It was during pledging that Sebastian and I met. We quickly learned, along with Aiden, that all three of us were legacies. In fact, our pledge class had a few other legacies, and all of us became part of the brotherhood. It wasn’t until the secret ceremony that we learned why. The brotherhood always has reasons for who becomes a member.

I set my glass in the sink, knowing that Felicia will take care of it tomorrow. She’s been with me since I bought this place. She comes in daily and takes care of my home and personal life. She’s like a big sister to me, which is maybe something I needed. Aiden and Sebastian have siblings, or Sebastian did. I’m the lone wolf of our trifecta. I prefer it that way. If you keep to yourself, people can’t hurt you.

I look down at my phone. I need to call my father. I need to find out his involvement, but he can’t know what I’ve found out. I play out different scenarios in my head before finally settling on the one that I’ll use.

Pressing the call button, I put it on speaker. It rings four times.

“Hello, Conner,” Lena’s voice answers. Fucking Lena. Lena Harkins is my father’s assistant, if that’s what you want to call it. They are one hundred percent fucking. Lena is in it for the lifestyle and money. So, she doesn’t give a shit that Theodore can’t seem to keep it in his pants as long as he brings her diamond tennis bracelets every time she finds out about his indiscretions. It’s fucked up in only a way that my father could fuck it up.

“Hello, Lena. Is my father there?”

“He’s indisposed at the moment. Can I take a message?” Indisposed. That’s rich. Indisposed means he’s either getting a blowjob, which is unlikely since she answered his phone, or he’s busy entertaining clients, more likely since I can hear voices in the background.

“I have some business matters to discuss with him when he has a moment.”

“Of course. I’ll have him call you when he can.”

When he can? This entire conversation should make me want to stab people, yet it’s par for the course. This is how we operate in my so-called family.

“Thank you,” I reply through gritted teeth as I hang up and stare out at the backyard which is dark except for the lights in the pool.

When Sebastian started down this whole “research a pharmaceutical company” thing, I in no way thought it would lead down this rabbit hole. I fear the Pandora’s box he’s opened is way bigger than he ever imagined. We’re going to have to figure out how this drug is getting into the U.S. so we can stop its use; and if we are going to take down the brotherhood or even part of it, then we’ll need to identify every member of the elite. It’s going to be a near-impossible task since the elite members aren’t known, but the one thing I know about Sebastian North is that man will stop at nothing once he’s made up his mind. He and Aiden are the closest thing I have to a real family, so if he’s going down trying to fix this mess, then I guess I’m the co-captain of his doomed ship.

I turn and head to my bedroom as I begin to lay out my plan. The first person going down…will be my father.

Chapter2

Vivienne

I need two things,more wine and to get laid. Glancing at my laptop, I reach for the glass of chardonnay that I know is sitting to my right because Marvin, the bartender, put it there. I find it and bring it to my lips, letting the cool liquid fill my mouth. He gave me the good stuff. Fucking Marvin, he wants a good tip tonight. I look up, expecting to find him watching me and waiting for some smartass comment, but I’m wrong, very wrong.

Marvin is in fact down at the other end of the bar serving, I squint to see better, Senator Cumberland. It takes a great deal of fortitude to not roll my eyes because next to him is his staffer, Clarice, who he is fucking. Everyone knows this. Even his pearl-clutching, could-freeze-fire-with-a-look wife knows it. Marvin is getting me intel. A small smirk forms on my face. That bastard will be getting a good tip after all.

My stare travels from the far end of the bar to a movement on my right. Bingo!

Conner Sterling has arrived. I had heard a little while ago that he might stop in here. He was spotted in the city this evening and this bar is one of his favorite spots. He looks to be in a mood. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting him up close yet. One thing is for sure, those photographs that I’ve seen do not do this man justice.

Everything about him is large. He looks foreboding as his giant frame approaches the bar. The only seat available is the one next to me. I’ve arranged it this way, hoping that he’d be here tonight. Lady luck is clearly on my side this evening.

As though Marvin senses the power and wealth radiating off the man next to me, he immediately excuses himself and in five long strides is in front of us.

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