Page 1 of Seventeen Years Ago

CHAPTER1

Steven Morse

“Mr. Pintino is on line one for you,” my secretary Kimberly announced.

I shot her a puzzled look. There was no way Caydan was reaching out to me after all these years. When I had heard from him last, he was running some huge hotel that was linked to a casino. He had wanted me to go into business with him, but the guy was so full of anger that I couldn't trust him as a business partner. He always had a hidden agenda.

I wonder what it is now.

“Thank you, Kimberly. Can you close the door on your way out,” I instructed as I picked up the phone to answer his call. Once I was alone, I pressed line one and said “this is Morse. What can I do for you?”

“It’s been a long time. How is business going?” Cayden asked.

He didn't care how my business was going, he wanted something And I wanted to know what it was. “Let's cut through the bullshit. I have a full schedule of meetings and I'm not about to blow them off for idle chatter.”

He laughed. “I see that some things never change.”

So much has changed, but unfortunately not everything. My father may have passed away, but everyone looked at me expecting me to be the same ruthless bastard that he’d been. His last words to me were that I was a disappointment to him and that I didn't have it in me to be the successful businessman he had been. That might be true, but I didn't want to be anything like my father. If that meant sleeping under a bridge in a cardboard box, so be it.

“If you are referring to the fact that I'm still not interested in becoming a business partner with you, then you're correct. I have no interest in running a casino.”

Cayden chuckled. “I'm no longer in that business either. Allyson, my wife, wasn't a fan of it.”

I was shocked. “I didn't know you were married.”

“Celebrating our 4thwedding anniversary next week.”

I was happy and yet jealous. “Congratulations. Was she one of the cocktail waitresses at the casino?” I half-joked.

“Allyson is nothing like you would have imagined being with me. She was an HR manager and was always by the book,” he replied.

Now I laughed. “They say opposites attract.” I still had no idea why he was calling me. “I am sure that you called me for something other than letting me know of your nuptials.”

“You are correct. I do have a business proposition for you. I'm hoping you can meet with me next week so we can discuss it in person,” he stated.

“I thought you said it was your anniversary next week,” I reminded him.

“It is. She and I will be traveling and would like you to join us.”

“Obviously you're not the romantic type if you're planning on conducting business on your romantic getaway.” I wasn’t the one who should have been talking because I'd be doing the same damn thing. But Allyson wasn’t just a girlfriend or a hook-up. She was his wife. Somehow, I would think he’d treat her better than that.

“Trust me Steven, there will be plenty of time for just me and Allyson. She comes first in everything I do. Inviting you is more of a matter of convenience. Unless you're not interested in hearing what I have to say,” he said.

The timing of this wasn’t great but it could have been worse. There were a few meetings I needed to shuffle around, but there wasn’t anything crucial that I needed to attend to immediately. “I don't know why you're being so secretive. You have piqued my interest. I'll meet you. What are the details?”

“I will send you the itinerary. We can fly together.”

That really wasn't an answer. “I need to know where we're going if I'm booking a flight.” It'd been years since I'd flown commercial because I found it easier to charter a private jet. Gave me the ability to get work done without any interruption. I had to assume that was what Cayden had planned as well.

“We'll be traveling on the Henderson jet.”

“Henderson?” I asked. I was very familiar with the name as they were well known in Massachusetts. A powerful family that had made its reputation throughout the world. It could not be the same family that he was speaking of. The last time I had spoken to Cayden, he had nothing good to say about them. I actually thought hate was not a strong enough word to describe the animosity he had felt towards the Hendersons.

“I'll tell you about it on the flight. Expect a text message shortly with the details of our departure. Oh, pack casual and bring some beach clothes.”

Since it was winter here in Boston, I had no problem going someplace tropical for our meeting. “Still not going to tell me where we're going?”

“It's someplace you've never been before.”

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