Heir’s Affair

ONE

Tallulah Taylor had knocked on the apartment door when she arrived, but no one had answered it. She’d been told not to return to work until she confirmed they’d found the man they’d been searching for over the last three months and this was where he was supposed to be.

Tally had worked for the Stretton family since leaving college and knew their official story almost as well as she knew the unofficial one. Staff at the Stretton Estate, and those at the corporation of Stretton Chemicals, loved to share gossip and rumors. Patriarch and CEO Theodore Stretton had been married only once and believed above almost everything else that it was important to keep up the appearance of respectability. Teddy was good at it. But he prided himself on being good at everything he did.

In her role as the family liaison, Tally worked mostly at the Stretton Estate, and had been asked to do all sorts of unusual tasks for the family.

But this mission was a first.

It all started three-and-a-half-months ago when Teddy and his wife, Laura, were involved in a vehicular accident. The limo they were travelling in was hit at high speed and Laura was killed. Her death changed a bunch of perspectives.

The couple had a daughter together, Kimmy. But because of his old-fashioned views, Teddy had made sure that his daughter was raised as a spoiled princess. Kimmy grated on her father, but a lot of people did, he wasn’t a patient man.

Though Tally did recognize that Teddy was proud of his daughter, not because of any immense achievements on Kimmy’s part, but because she was exactly what she was supposed to be: shallow, materialistic, and subservient.

But there was one thing Teddy Stretton lacked… he had no male heir.

Teddy Stretton liked to rule whatever room he walked into and didn’t like to take second chair to anyone. Ever. Although there were people at the company who were capable, Teddy didn’t trust them enough to pass his life’s work to them. He wanted to hand down the company to family, male family, meaning there was a gaping hole in his will.

And that’s what had brought Tally here. To this apartment.

A thirty-two-year-old rumor that Teddy had never spoken of was proven to be true in the form of Max Flynn. It turned out that the illegitimate son of Teddy Stretton was a real person and not just conjured up by gossipmongers.

At least, she’d been told that the rumor was true by the PI who’d been on the case, chasing up leads, for three months. That rumor was supposed to live in the apartment that she’d been standing outside of for two hours. But the longer she stood there, the less hopeful she became that this night was going to end well for her.

It had been her role to stay on top of the PI, to bring his reports back to an impatient Teddy who was not likely to take bad news well. Tallulah was only there because she’d been tasked with putting the proposition to Max. She wasn’t the most persuasive person, but she’d been called unthreatening, so she guessed it made sense that she should explain what was going on to the man who may, or may not, even know his father’s identity.

In other circumstances, a person may be nervous to approach a stranger about the father who’d abandoned him. But Tally was confident that she had nothing to worry about. She was inviting this Max guy to meet a father who was going to bequeath him a multibillion-dollar company and make all his dreams come true. Who would argue with that?

Since arriving at the rundown apartment block, Tally had begun to build an impression of the man she was here to retrieve. The light in the corridor at the top of the stairs was broken and the one at this end was blinking. There was a weird smell too, and enough suspect stains on the floor that there was no way she was going to sit on it even though her shoes were starting to sting her feet.

Teddy didn’t accept failure and she didn’t feel like being reamed out, as she would be if she went back to the estate to say she’d given up for the night. Her boss had been known to reduce assistants to tears. But because she was a personal assistant to the family rather than the company, she usually avoided facing his intense wrath. Tally wasn’t involved with the big bucks deals done by Stretton Chemicals. Those deals had a tendency of stressing Teddy out; the assistants who were part of those negotiations were the ones who really had to be on their toes.

Tally couldn’t go back or call and say she hadn’t pinned this guy down. But she was beginning to worry that he might have no intention of coming back tonight. Maybe he was spending the night with a girlfriend or maybe he’d moved. This place did suggest he might be a bit of a nomad, he sure didn’t seem to care about curb appeal. And according to the PI reports, Max had gone through a phase in his twenties of moving around all the time, as revealed by his several previous addresses. Could it be that he’d moved on again?

What else could she do? How could she salvage this night? Just as she was beginning to think of contingencies, Tally heard heavy footsteps coming up the stairs.

A masculine cough.

A grumble.

“Yeah, dude,” a deep husky voice said. “Yeah, man, I’m there. Don’t worry about it.”

In the darkness at the far end of the corridor, a broad man measuring approximately six-four emerged at the top of the stairs, but Tally couldn’t decipher his features.

His long strides ate up the floor. She only got flashes of his dark eyes and scruffy jaw in the flickers of distorted illumination pulsing from the broken light. Tallulah hadn’t expected her heart rate to jump up, or to feel intimidated by her boss’ son. She worked around powerful men every day and didn’t blink when they walked into the room. But something about this guy was different… more oppressive… dangerous.

The phone at his ear wasn’t his focus anymore. When he was within ten feet, there was no denying that his attention was on her.

“Yo, dude, I gotta go, there’s a hot little brunette at my door.” The guy on the other end of the line must have said something funny because the stranger smiled, and the sight of its sinister glow dazzled her. “Nah, I don’t think so, Rob, I’d remember banging this one… yeah, see ya.”

He hung up the phone and stopped in her personal space, crowding her against his door. “Am I wrong?” he asked. “You’re not here to tell me I knocked you up, are you?”

Oh God, this guy couldn’t be any less like Teddy Stretton if he sprouted wings and horns. Maybe this wouldn’t be as simple as they’d all thought it would be. Why hadn’t it occurred to Teddy that maybe his illegitimate son wasn’t going to be easily moldable?

“Uh, no,” she said, having to clear her throat twice when her voice cracked. “You are Max Flynn… aren’t you?”

Intrigue lit his keen eyes. “Yep.”

Relief. Good, at least she knew she was in the right place and had already managed to do half her job. “I have a proposition for you.”

Taking a half step back, his brow rose as he examined her body. “Oh, yeah? For a babe like you, I’ll listen,” he said, leaning past her to unlock the door. “But we better make it quick. I’ve got somewhere to be tonight.”

He gave the door a hard push, forcing it open, and she spun around. Max squeezed past her, forcing her to inhale when his jacket made contact with her shoulder.

Tally scanned inside.

The apartment was a mess.

There were dirty clothes on the couch. Empty beer bottles on the coffee table were punctuated by open pizza boxes and Chinese food containers. As she tiptoed over the threshold, she was assaulted by the scents of stale food and rugged man.

Minding her manners, Tallulah tried not to cringe when he reached over her to shove the stiff door hard, closing it with a startling thud. On the plus side, she got the chance to note that he didn’t smell bad. In fact, he was wearing an intoxicating deodorant that she wouldn’t mind smelling more of. For some weird reason, Tally was pleased to learn that his slobbish ways didn’t extend into his personal hygiene.

He lumbered to the right into the open-plan kitchen and pulled a beer from the fridge. Holding one toward her, he only shrugged when she shook her head.

“I don’t drink,” she said.

He looked her over again, which he seemed to do a lot. “Alcoholic?”

She didn’t want to be outraged, but he smiled and she guessed he’d read her reaction and found it funny.

Holding on to her composure, Tally remembered her manners and explained. “No… my employer doesn’t allow it.”

There was a bottle opener attached to the side of the fridge with a bucket beneath it. He used it to pop open the bottle and slugged down some beer. “Bummer,” he said, propping himself up against the fridge on one broad arm. “Guess you’re here on the clock… you don’t look like one of Tony’s girls. But if you are, you trot back and tell him he owes me cash not barter.” He moseyed over, entering her space to whisper just above her ear. “If you wanna come back when you’re off duty, I’ll leave the door open for ya.”

Taking another hit from his scent, Tally was dazed. “I… I thought you had a prior engagement tonight,” she said and was immediately shocked by her words.

Whatever that was she could smell on him had to be a solvent or some other mind-altering substance. She was usually demure and almost meek, especially when on Stretton business. Respect, that was what it was all about, and women were supposed to be modest. Except she’d just spoken out like she was a hussy who’d take him up on his lurid offer if it wasn’t for his alternative plans.

His lips twisted. He examined her body again. “Want me to cancel, sugarlips? We can get right down to it. Bedroom door’s on the other side of the TV over there.”

He slid a fingertip down her jawline and began to bend down like he might be going to kiss her.

Regaining her senses, she stumbled as she retreated. “No,” Tally stuttered. “I… I came here to… Your father sent me.”

His whole demeanor changed in a snap. He tensed, and took his own step away from her. “What the fuck? I never had a father. Never knew the bastard.”

Ok, yes, she could do this. Business. “We know,” she said, having not considered what she’d do if he got angry because it was such an unlikely scenario. “It took us quite a while to track you down.”

His scowl was intense. “What the fuck?” he said again.

It was a surprise to find that Teddy’s son was so coarse and that he lived in this squalor when the Strettons were multibillionaires. But the why wasn’t her business; she had a job to do.

“Your father wants to meet you. He wants to build a relationship with you.”

She expected a positive response. Instead, his frown deepened. “And who the fuck are you? His old lady?”

Uh, she’d swear herself if it wasn’t against another of Teddy’s rules. “Your father is sixty-five,” she said. “I’m twenty-eight.”

“And that fucking matters? My mom said my father was some rich fuck who ditched her. That true?”

“Oh.” She blushed and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m sorry, I don’t know anything about their relationship. I was sent here to retrieve you.”

His brow went up. “Yeah? Well come on, Sugar, retrieve me.” When she said nothing, he lunged forward, pinning her to a post that stood between the kitchen and living room, his hand landed on it high above her head. “What kind of fuck sends a little thing like you to a place like this? You know we had a murder in this building last week?”

Tally inhaled through her nose because she feared if she opened her mouth that her heart would leap out of her throat. “No, I… I didn’t know that.”

His anger was aimed at her, at Teddy, at everything. “Do your research before you walk into any place, little thing. If you thought I was like him, you’re wrong. I’m nothing like him.”

“How do you know that if you don’t know him?” she asked, adrenaline giving her gumption. “Your father is a serious man, he’s thorough, and intelligent… you could do worse than be like him… He also just lost his wife; he could’ve lost his life too. You could’ve lost him. But you have a chance to get to know him.”

“Thanks,” he sneered. “But no thanks.” Dropping his attention, he grumbled at the floor before making eye contact again. “I’d love to toss your butt into the hallway and slam the door in your face, but your skinny ass won’t see the street if I don’t walk you out.” Seizing her arm, he slammed his beer onto the kitchen counter, then dragged her to the door. “You parked somewhere around here?”

Pulling back, Tally wasn’t ready to give up. “Mr. Flynn, please,” she said, trying to free herself, but he got her out of the apartment and tugged her down the hallway. “Please, hear me out. I have so much to tell you! Please! Let me explain!”

“Where’s your car, kid?”

Fighting him was as effective as the fly fighting the spider. Tally was powerless and weak in comparison to this predator who was on a mission. Throughout their descent of the stairs, she kept trying to pull away. But when he did stop, it wasn’t because of her efforts, it was because of what they came across at the bottom of the stairs. Between them and the door were a group of guys wearing gang colors. Max’s grip got even more serious… she’d thought it was serious before, but she’d been wrong.

“Flynn!” The guy at the head of the group said while checking her out. “Nice bitch.”

“Bored of her now,” Max said in a deep grumble. “I’m getting rid of her, Strap.”

The guy laughed and ran his tongue along his upper teeth. “She looks high class.”

“Out of your price range,” Max said and tried to keep going, but the group closed in.

“You hand her over and the first time is free, right?”

With one step, Max put a forearm on Strap’s chest and thrust him to the wall. “You don’t put your hands on this bitch, none of you, get it?”

“It like that?” Strap asked. “She yours?”

“Yeah, that’s it,” Max said. “Now get your asses out of my way.”

Strap held up his hands. “We don’t want no trouble with you, homie. You say she’s yours, she’s it.”

The guys parted like the Red Sea. Tally staggered along beside Max when he strode through the leering group. And though she tried her best not to look at the men who were curious about her, she couldn’t believe Max had just stood up to what had to be ten men in that narrow space.

“Mr. Flynn,” she said when they got to the street. It took her that long to be able to breathe again. “Oh, my God, if I’d run into those men alone—”

“Yeah, Tiny, think about that next time you rock up to strange guy’s places.”

“Thank you,” she said because he’d stepped up for her.

Tally was still in a daze, stumbling as she trotted along behind him until he came to an abrupt halt.

“Where’s your car?” he asked and she looked around to see they were on the corner of the block.

If that’s what he was looking for, he’d be looking for a long time. “I don’t have a car,” she said. “I was dropped off by a company driver.”

Pierre lived in the same section of staff quarters that she did at the Stretton Estate. He helped her out whenever he could, but tonight he had other places to be and couldn’t hang around.

“Company car? Nice. My old man must make out all right.”

That answered her question about whether Max knew who his father was. “More than all right,” she said, thinking his attitude would change when he learned the scope of what she was presenting to him. “Theodore Stretton is worth a few billion…” For the first time since she’d identified herself, Max lost his scowl. “And he wants to bequeath it to you.”

A second later he laughed a short, sinister sound that had no resemblance to amusement. “Not interested.” What? Tally didn’t even know how to… What? Stepping into the road, Max stopped a cab and opened the back door. “Hop it, girlie, don’t come back.”

Casting off her surprise, Tally refused to get into the back of the car. “Please let me explain,” she said. “Let me tell you what he wants.”

“No,” Max said, trying to wrestle her into the car.

This was her job. Panic was making her fingers shake. All she was supposed to do was identify that he was Max Flynn and bring him to his father. If she couldn’t do that…

She couldn’t keep fighting him, he was stronger than she was, but she tried her best to resist. Already her muscles were aching as she battled his attempts to push her down, and he wasn’t even really trying.

“Please!”

“No!”

Desperation was making her frantic. The Stretton’s were all she knew, if Teddy got mad, that was it, he’d fire her and life as she knew it would be over. “Please!”

“Get in the damn cab!” he demanded.

“Just let me explain!” she begged.

“Get the fuck outta here!”

“He’ll fire me, Max!” she exclaimed. The words just tumbled out of her. She didn’t know what she’d do if she didn’t have the Strettons. Max stopped pushing her and frowned again, but this one wasn’t angry so much as it was curious. “I’m sorry but… this means a lot to him. A lot of time has gone into finding you and… Teddy’s not the most patient man. If I go back there and tell him we talked, but I didn’t tell you everything… he’ll fire me and… I live at the house, Mr. Flynn. I’ll be homeless, jobless, and he’ll never give me a reference. Please… you have to hear me out. I’ve worked for your family for years. I’ve never seen it like this. Please…” Taking a breath, she tried to find a thread of composure. “How bad can one conversation be? Will it kill you?”

His jaw worked side to side as he ground his teeth. “Fine. Tomorrow night, meet me at Fitzpatrick’s a block over… I’m buying you a drink.”

Shaking her head, Tally had to refuse. She’d been teetotal for years. The idea of picking up a glass scared her. “No, my employer—”

“Yeah, you gave me that line upstairs. ‘Cept now I know who your employer is, I don’t give a fuck. How’d you like that? Drink with me or no conversation.”

Max liked to be in control, just like his father. Which was the lesser of the evils? Agree to have a drink or get fired from the only respectable job she’d ever had? To get what she needed, Tally had to acquiesce. “What time?”

(C) Scarlett Finn

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